Against Nature
Against Nature (2026, artist book, 11” x 126”, ed. variée, 10,I) is hand-colored accordion book featuring photographs of wisteria vines in various seasons.
Invasive plant species such as wisteria, beach rose, and honeysuckle, came to the United States from East Asia by imperial and colonial routes, to serve a distinctly European vision of the garden. Considering this constrained desire for beauty, and the unintended consequences of its indulgence, I documented invasive ornamental species in gardens, along roadsides and in nurseries. Even using a flash, my black and white photographs looked too innocent- merely pictures of “nature”. I began using a highlighter to indicate the invasive species in each image, a didactic tool on a factual document. As I worked, the highlighter became its own aesthetic intoxicant – the neon colors became riotous, echoing the unchecked growth of the plants.
$450 (25% of proceeds go to Amor RI)
