The Importance of Reciprocity

Climate justice activist Xiye Bastida witnessed firsthand the injustices of climate change in her small town of San Pedro Tultepec in Mexico. When she moved to New York for school, she started to organize. Bastida’s perspectives are brought to bear on Thomas Cole’s iconic landscape painting “The Oxbow.“ The Spotlight series features new perspectives on a single work from The Met collection each month. Familiar and celebrated works serve as the focal point for dialogue—posing questions, building understanding, and conveying how the presence of the work in the Museum has altered, limited, or enhanced the work’s interpretation. The series explores different ways of knowing, and relates to themes beyond art and museums through the expertise and personal experience of invited guests. Explore more of Spotlight: Subscribe for new content from The Met: #MetSpotlight #TheMet #Art #The