My
photographs examine the persistent and increasing disconnection that
exists between humans and the natural world. My work explores simulation,
consumption, destruction, and reconstruction. It addresses the essence
of our connection, as well as our fragmentation from the natural. The
series looks at points of intersection with wild in the human-made world—our
coexistence—and explores notions of endurance and the reality
of loss.
For over ten years my work has examined how and where the natural
world—in real or artificial form—appears in an urban environment.
Growing up in Chicago gave me an urban childhood: running through
gangways and exploring alleys with my friends. Something more and
more kids today don’t experience. Early on, seeds for my interest
in nature were planted through lots of outside play, camping trips,
and odd pets (our duck named Sir Francis Drake, for example). I am
sure these beginnings influence and inspire my work.
I began this project looking at ‘fake nature’, wondering
what substitutions for nature can satisfy in people. Looking deeper
I began photographing live/real animals and how they can be a link
for us to a world far from the reality and pace of contemporary life,
as well as provide an intangible link to a deeper world of instinct
and rawness. With this series I seek to understand how the human connection
to the rest of nature is often developed through assimilation and
appropriation. My hope is that the pictures will incite contemplation
about the lives of animals and generate dialog about resource usage.
