In this age of superior environmental awareness, when mass media and virtual reality are ostensibly supposed to make us smarter in our knowledge of the natural world, consider this paradox: One of the most famous and widely-circulated wildlife photographs ever made is an image that most members of the Millennial generation probably assume is a product of digital manipulation…
Exhibitions
Traveling Museum Exhibition
Produced by David J. Wagner, L.L.C.
A retrospective of Legacy Reserve images from over 40 years of nature and wildlife photography capturing Earth’s last great wild places.
A LIFE IN THE WILD is an exhibition containing 40 of Mangelsen’s most resonant images—images that take viewers on a journey into the haunts of iconic species whose struggles for survival are metaphorical fulcrums for reflection in the 21st century.
Every single image in Mangelsen’s portfolio has been taken in the wild under natural conditions; the result of him waiting for the “picture perfect moment” across decades and often in hostile conditions. Such a body of work can only be achieved by having a heightened sense of animal behavior, an uncanny feel for being able to read changing atmospherics in the environment, and patience.
At a time when digital technology is, notoriously, reprogramming its users to have shorter attention spans, A LIFE IN THE WILD stands as a testament to the rewards that can come to people who slow down their lives and wait for nature’s revelations to happen.
“The diversity of life on this planet is a miraculous gift. What gives me the greatest joy is being able to share glimpses of it. I hope my work stands as a testament to the power of timeless beauty and as a reminder that we must not take our fellow wild creatures for granted.”
CURRENT TOUR ITINERARY
February 7 – August 31, 2025
Museum of Art - DeLand
600 N. Woodland Blvd., DeLand, FL
MoArtDeLand.org
September 21 – December 31, 2025
Museum of The Gulf Coast
700 Procter Street, Port Arthur, TX
museumofthegulfcoast.org
November 20, 2025 – January 11, 2026
Haggin Museum, 1201 N. Pershing Avenue, Stockton, CA
hagginmuseum.org
January 24 – May 3, 2026
Turtle Bay Exploration Park, 844 Sundial Bridge Drive, Redding, CA
turtlebay.org
January 29 – May 31, 2026
The Phoenix Zoo, 455 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, AZ
phoenixzoo.org
June 20 – September 7, 2026
The Stuhr Museum, 3133 W. U.S. Hwy 34, Grand Island, NE
stuhrmuseum.org
A SAMPLING OF PAST TOUR VENUES
Great Valley Museum, Modesto, CA
mjc.edu
National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, Dubuque, IA
rivermuseum.com
Briscoe Western Art Museum, San Antonio, TX
briscoemuseum.org
Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Cody, WY
centerofthewest.org
Roger Tory Peterson Institute, Jamestown, NY
rtpi.org
Sioux City Public Museum, Sioux City, IA
siouxcitymuseum.org
North Carolina Arboretum, Asheville, NC
ncarboretum.org
Bateman Foundation Gallery, Victoria, BC Canada
Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum, Oradell, NJ
(Greater New York Metropolitan Area)
blauveltartmuseum.com
Quincy Art Center, Quincy, IL
quincyartcenter.org
To schedule A LIFE IN THE WILD, or further information, contact:
David J. Wagner, Ph.D., Curator/Tour Director
(414) 221-6878 | davidjwagnerllc@yahoo.com | davidjwagnerllc.com
2018 © David J. Wagner, L.L.C.
Member American Alliance of Museums and International Council of Museums
When Virtual Reality is No Match for A True Life in the Wild
by Author, Todd Wilkinson
Published by Stanford University’s Millennium Alliance for Humanity and Biosphere
