Botanicals Specimens

Drawing inspiration from Anna Atkins’ groundbreaking work with cyanotypes of algae, which seamlessly bridged early photography and scientific exploration, I aimed to make prints featuring plant life that deviated beyond just documentation. My creative goal is to capture specimens not necessarily as accurately as Anna Atkins, but more so to emphasize their expressive qualities. By combining cyanotype, turmeric emulsions, and photographic paper, I am able to craft images that reveal the intrinsic beauty of the botanicals themselves. Additionally, this intricate process enables me to illustrate the insidious and often invisible presence of chemical pollution. By rendering these environmental stressors as tangible artistic forms, my work is able to provoke deep contemplation on the pervasive consequences we are inflicting on our collective footprint.