Almost 60 years later, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art will be refreshing John McKee’s original exhibition in a new presentation that is no less relevant in the face of the changing climate and its impact on Maine. McKee, who died in 2023, bequeathed 54 photographs from the “As Maine Goes” series to the Museum, as well as 31 additional images from other later series. Curated by Chris Zhang ’25 and Frank Goodyear, the exhibition is a rare opportunity to look backwards and forwards at the same time.
In 1966, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art presented an exhibition of photographs by John McKee, then a Romance Languages instructor at the College with an interest in photography. Titled “As Maine Goes,” the exhibition featured a series of black-and-white photographs that starkly depicted the environmental degradation of Maine’s coastal landscapes, highlighting issues such as pollution, seaside dumps, and the impact of unchecked development. What began as a sidelight became the defining part of McKee’s career—and these works served as a catalyst for environmental awareness and legislative action in Maine, contributing to the burgeoning environmental movement of the time. The exhibition was accompanied by a limited-edition catalog, with an introduction by U.S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas.
John McKee : As Maine Goes
Until November 9, 2025
Bowdoin College Museum of Art
245 Maine St.
Brunswick, ME 04011
https://www.bowdoin.edu/art-museum/
