On View Magazine 07-09.2015 | Page 80

BUILDER LEVY: Appalachia USA Opposite: Sisters, Osage, Scotts Run, Monongalia County, WV, 1970. Below: Red Robin Inn, Borderland, Mingo County, WV, 1971. 80 OnV i e w Ma g a z i n e . twining the traditions of fine art, and social documentary, Appalachia USA is an aesthetically and socially significant exploration that celebrates the human spirit. It highlights the rich heritage of the region and charts the dramatic changes that occurred over Levy’s four decades of artistic and social engagement. It’s a story of the people in this region, their collective struggles for better working conditions and improved standards of living, and their efforts to protect their natural environment against powerful economic interests. Despite the promise of alternative energy, coal still fuels c om • J u ly /S e p t e m b e r 2015