2023
Wax, cotton thread
12’W x 9’H
For this project, I use man-made stamens, a component of artificial flowers, to represent the effects of climate change on the natural world. Using tens of thousands of man-made stamens created for the artificial flower industry, I produce a satellite image of a storm.
The stamen, a flower’s male reproductive part, produces pollen essential for plant life and growth. In this artwork, artificial stamens symbolize the impact of human intervention on nature. The use of synthetic materials in replicating natural elements like flowers and grass reflects humanity’s attempts to control and preserve what we admire.
Climate change profoundly affects pollinators, altering growth and flowering seasons and potentially reducing the plant populations they depend on. This phenomenon can be likened to the butterfly effect, where seemingly insignificant changes can drastically impact complex systems.
The storm cloud imagery serves as a reminder of climate change’s power and potential consequences. Additionally, the installation features an olfactory component: as viewers approach, they can detect the scent of rain, a blend of damp soil, decaying leaves, trees, grass, and ozone, emitted by a diffuser hidden behind the wall.