Island Life: Changing Culture, Changing Shorelines Virtual Exhibit

“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to bring CBMM into your homes through this virtual exhibition,” said CBMM President Kristen Greenaway. “We’re in the process of shifting to more and more virtual offerings at this time and look forward to finding additional ways to deliver Chesapeake Bay content to our guests in the months to come.”

Fleming’s photographs reveal how the changing environment is affecting the cultures and shorelines of inhabited and formerly inhabited offshore islands in the Chesapeake Bay. He discovered his passion for photography upon inheriting a hand-me-down Nikon film camera at age 13 from his father, Kevin, a former National Geographic photographer. Fleming immediately developed an affinity to looking at life through the lens of his camera, and what ensued was an exciting photographic journey that would eventually lead him to his career as a professional photographer. His first book, Working the Water—a photographic narrative of the Chesapeake Bay seafood industry—is in its third printing and his next book, Island Life—around which this exhibition is based—is expected to be released in the fall of 2021. 

“Jay Fleming is a consummate visual storyteller,” said Jenifer Dolde, CBMM’s Associate Curator of Collections. “His frequent visits to the islands and shorelines along the Bay have resulted in an intimate knowledge of the land and people, allowing him to capture moments in time that encapsulate our distinctive Chesapeake landscape and culture.”

Island Life: Changing Culture, Changing Shorelines can be viewed online admission-free for your comfort and convenience. The exhibition is possible by generous contributions to CBMM's Annual Fund, which supports everything from education and boatbuilding programs to interactive exhibitions and more than 75,000 irreplaceable objects in CBMM’s collection. If you wish to give to the Annual Fund, please visit cbmm.org/donate.

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to preserving and exploring the history, environment, and culture of the entire Chesapeake Bay region, and making this resource available to all. Every aspect of fulfilling this mission is driven by CBMM’s values of relevance, authenticity, and stewardship, along with a commitment to providing engaging guest experiences and transformative educational programming, all while serving as a vital community partner. For more information, visit cbmm.org or call 410-745-2916.