Visions of Biophilia

Visions of Biophilia is a community-engaged public art project developed during my 2024 artist residency at Richmond Nature Park in British Columbia. Combining photography, environmental science, and public participation, the project explores connections between the region's ecological history and its surrounding communities.

Throughout the year, I designed and facilitated seasonal workshops introducing more than 200 participants to digital photography and alternative photographic processes, including: chlorophyll printing, anthotypes, lumen printing, and cyanotypes. Each workshop incorporated a guided walk with a park scientist, connecting creative experimentation with an understanding of the park's unique peat bog ecosystem.

The residency culminated in a 52-foot public mural incorporating more than 200 photographic works created by workshop participants. Inspired by satellite imagery of the Fraser River, the composition traces flowing river and delta formations toward its headwaters at Mount Robson. The layered imagery brings together five photographic processes explored throughout the residency, integrating individual contributions into a collective landscape.

Ice crystal cyanotypes reference the last ice age and the migration of Arctic plant species that helped shape the park's distinctive ecology. Through its imagery and collaborative creation, Visions of Biophilia connects environmental history, scientific knowledge, and community participation in a permanent, site-specific artwork.

Please visit the project blog to learn more.