Deep Prairie Light

On View December 8th - February 20th

The Ashton
Millwork Commons
1229 Millwork Ave, Omaha

Deep Prairie Light brings together photographic work by Dakota Altman and Keegan Dunn in a meditation on the ecological and cultural significance of two of Nebraska’s foundational ecosystems: the tallgrass prairie and the oak savanna.

Altman’s photographs evoke the temporal dimensions of the tallgrass prairie, a dynamic system shaped by movement, grazing, and the intentional application of fire. He documents the often overlooked structural complexity of grasses, the shifting patterns of light across open terrain, and the subtle atmospheric conditions that shape how the prairie is lived and perceived. The resulting images highlight a landscape that fosters a distinctive way of sensing and inhabiting place.

In parallel, Dunn focuses on the state’s oak savannas—transitional environments where prairie grasses intersect with widely spaced bur and chinquapin oaks. His photographs emphasize the ecological role of these trees as stabilizing elements within a fire-dependent system. By capturing canopy form, understory composition, and the material histories embedded in bark and branch, the work illustrates how oaks function as both biological anchors and cultural landmarks within the region.

Together, these two bodies of work underscore the importance of threshold ecologies—spaces where openness and structure coexist and mutually influence one another. The exhibition situates prairie and savanna not as separate entities but as interdependent ecosystems shaped by disturbance regimes, long-term climate patterns, and human land-use histories. In dialogue, they consider how bioregions generate knowledge, memory, and identity, and how photographic practice can serve as a critical tool for understanding the ongoing processes that sustain them.

About the Artists

Keegan Dunn is a field researcher and photographer currently residing in Omaha, Nebraska. He is an integrated science major at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln studying the ecology and history of the Missouri River watershed. His work explores how notions of place shape the personal constructs of identity and self-image. He documents human interactions with the landscape to better understand how we think about, and remember, where we’re from.

Dakota Altman is a producer with Platte Basin Timelapse and an instructor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, teaching Conservation Photography. He is passionate about revealing the beauty and diversity of nature in his "backyard" of Lincoln, Nebraska, through photography. His work focuses on documenting dynamic ecosystems such as prairies, woodlands, and wetlands. Dakota earned a bachelor's degree in conservation biology and wildlife ecology at UNL. In 2023, he received a Master's in Applied Science from UNL, using conservation storytelling to uplift the value of Nebraska's wetland ecosystems.

About Millwork Commons

Millwork Commons is a collaborative community designed to inspire and support the work of innovators and creators by providing engaging spaces to work, live, connect, explore, and unwind. With more than 70 businesses and nonprofit organizations located in the neighborhood, Millwork Commons is a hub for tech, art, design, and community growth.