On Beauty Exhibition
In 2017, the Brower Center commissioned Douglas R. Tompkins—On Beauty, a photography exhibition and accompanying book honoring the life and legacy of conservationist Doug Tompkins. A Bay Area-based entrepreneur who founded The North Face and Esprit, Doug later stepped back from the companies to focus on philanthropy. His visionary land conservation work began in the early 1990s. He bought and donated millions of acres of land to the Chilean government to be preserved as national parks, the largest private land donation in history. He was a dear friend of the community that founded the Brower Center.
The On Beauty exhibition has found a long-term home at the corporate headquarters of Patagonia in Ventura, CA. Patagonia made history when its founder and friend of Doug Tompkins, Yvon Chouinard, turned over ownership of the company so that all of the company’s future profits could be used to fight the climate and extinction crisis. We are pleased that this exhibition can continue to inspire through beauty.
Do you want to learn more about Doug Tompkins, his legacy, and his leadership? On Beauty books are available by request below. The book is filled with hopeful essays and full-color photographs of the stunning South American landscapes and wildlife that Doug fought to protect. A donation of $35 is suggested. Copies of On Beauty are also available in the Brower Center lobby.