Work: Mermaids Tears
Date: 2019
There is a common assumption that rivers are natural entities, integral to pristine natural cycles and processes. However, contemporary rivers are far from entirely natural. On the contrary, for millennia, they have been extensively shaped and sculpted by humans, even down to the microscopic level. Yet, earlier modifications of environmental systems can hardly compare to what has occurred since the Industrial Revolution. With the rise of modernity—particularly in the case of water systems—human-made, non-degradable materials such as plastics have been widely dispersed. These materials can be found as massive objects in the oceans, as well as in the smallest streams in rural areas. As a globally distributed phenomenon, they fundamentally challenge our understanding of the relationship between humans and non-humans. Recent perspectives in ecology increasingly suggest that the artificial boundary between nature and culture is more questionable than ever.
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Date: 2019
There is a common assumption that rivers are natural entities, integral to pristine natural cycles and processes. However, contemporary rivers are far from entirely natural. On the contrary, for millennia, they have been extensively shaped and sculpted by humans, even down to the microscopic level. Yet, earlier modifications of environmental systems can hardly compare to what has occurred since the Industrial Revolution. With the rise of modernity—particularly in the case of water systems—human-made, non-degradable materials such as plastics have been widely dispersed. These materials can be found as massive objects in the oceans, as well as in the smallest streams in rural areas. As a globally distributed phenomenon, they fundamentally challenge our understanding of the relationship between humans and non-humans. Recent perspectives in ecology increasingly suggest that the artificial boundary between nature and culture is more questionable than ever.
Access the work documentation
