Second Nature examines the revived interest in landscape by contemporary artists, demonstrating the power of the land to speak to the imagination. Recent MFAH acquisitions—together with major works that are rarely on view—trace the evolving image of the landscape in art of the last 40 years, moving from the literal interactions of the 1960s and 1970s to the conceptual manipulations of the present day. Encompassing all media, this exhibition illustrates landscape imagery mediated through natural selection, imagination, and technology, offering a second look at the natural world.

Among the renowned artists showcased are Ansel Adams, Ed Ruscha, Mungo Thomson, and James Turrell. Their passionate vision of the landscape takes viewers on vividly imagined journeys around the world, from the American West to the Eastern seaboard, from Japanese riverbeds to the sky over Iceland.