Genesis
The Genesis project delves into the intersection of genetic technology and our perception of nature’s inherent beauty. By exploring this relationship, I seek to challenge how human intervention reshapes our understanding of the natural world. Initially, the objects I depict—horse chestnuts (Aesculus hippocastanum) and datura fruits—appear familiar. However, on closer examination, they reveal an uncanny strangeness, questioning conventional notions of beauty.
At the core of Genesis is an exploration of genetic engineering’s potential to alter the essence of what we perceive as natural beauty. Over time, the seemingly ordinary transforms into something foreign, exposing a tension between the familiar and the alien. This juxtaposition of fear and beauty invites reflection on their coexistence, presenting them not as opposites but as interwoven elements of a unified expression.
Drawing inspiration from nature’s transformative processes, my work adopts a poetic approach to probe the deeper layers of human existence. By isolating and enlarging a single object, I accentuate its intricate details, compelling the viewer to reexamine its complexity and significance.
The recurring theme of the life cycle—birth, growth, aging, and death—is deeply embedded in my practice and directly informs the title Genesis. The project grapples with the profound implications of genetic engineering, questioning its ability to alter the fundamental essence of nature. Through a combination of realistic observation and imaginative interpretation, I capture elements of decay and transformation, creating compositions that reflect on life’s impermanence and the fragile balance between the natural and the unnatural.