“Sited,” is an exhibition that lends insight into the histories and myths about the world beneath our feet. Berk blends topographic maps, drawing and sculpture to offer audiences a glimpse into a recently discovered Mayan cave.  Six years ago Berk was traveling in Guatemala and happened upon Naj Tunich, an ancient cave that was thought by the Mayans to be a spiritual entrance to the underworld, but due to vandalism it has become a heavily secured site under government control. Berk became fascinated by the way different civilizations understand and interact with underground spaces such as this. The Hedreen Gallery exhibition is part of a series that examines these commonly misunderstood and culturally contested negative spaces. While cave maps are merely 2-dimensional representations of these fascinating geological spaces, “Sited” investigates a more accurate and vivid portrayal of Naj Tunich’s winding tunnels. “Sited” consists of Berk’s 14-foot wide drawing based on a 3-dimensional computer model of Naj Tunich. Berk created the web-like drawings by following topographic contours, but his use of Gelly Roll pens, with their sparkly ink, puts a lighthearted, innocent spin on the power of darkness and the unknown associated with Mayan religious rituals held in such underground sites. Accompanying the drawing is a foam model representing the negative space the cave creates within the earth.  Berk’s work for the Hedreen gives a sense of mass and shape to a space that we might otherwise never encounter. “Sited” allows viewers to experience cave exploration from the vantage point of highly abstract models, but it is also an aesthetic journey through a mysterious place whose existence has spanned civilizations. 

–Hedreen Gallery press release