Series - FotoSlovo 2025 - Category « Environmental and Climate issues »
Bronze Medal
What will future cultures think of the scarred earth we leave behind? My long-term project is focused on landscapes surrounding extractive industries worldwide. The photographs I capture envision future archaeological discoveries and the possible mythologies that could emerge about our lost civilization. I am interested in mining sites because my grandfather and uncle were immigrant coal miners who passed away when I was a child. High concentrations of minerals and acidity buildup from these industries create otherworldly visual forms and chemical elements, which I highlight in my work. Witnessing and documenting these sites firsthand helps me confront my anxiety about a possible future in which the environment becomes uninhabitable. A key aspect of my practice is capturing the sublime from a female perspective. I stage self-portraits within these environments, draped in self-designed fabric costumes that obscure my identity. The veiled figure evokes mythological femininity as seen in ancient art—Venuses, effigies, and fertility figures unearthed in archaeological sites. These photographs are captured entirely on location and are not the product of Photoshop or AI.
