Human / Nature
Encountering Ourselves in the Natural World
Through a multitude of global perspectives, Human / Nature explores the complex relationship between Earth and its human inhabitants. Photographs, immersive video installations, and sculptures created by 14 international artists push viewers to reflect on how people and the world around them have had a profound impact on shaping one another. Our influence on nature has far-reaching consequences, as we know from our changing climate. Illuminating moments of harmony and recovery while never shying away from humankind’s tendency towards destruction, this show shepherds observers through scenes depicting the impact of urbanization and climate change on worldwide ecosystems.
Several artists’ work honors the picturesque sceneries and beautiful foliage our planet offers, while others explicitly highlight the damage for which people are responsible, and others yet fall somewhere in the middle, posing a question: where, if at all, do humans belong in nature? At once celebratory and contemplative, Human / Nature is a call for thoughtful reflection, evaluation, and appreciation.
"We share the same skin as Mother Earth, and we are part of the beings that make Nature what she is. Of course, now we are in a state of 'out-of-balance' with Nature, so much so that we see ourselves as separate from her."
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Human / Nature is comprised of 14 international artists whose work explores, in various ways, humankind’s fraught and mutually beneficial relationship with nature.
Works by artists David Ụzọchukwu and Lewis Miller revel in the beauty of nature, while aerial photographs by Edward Burtynsky investigate industry’s impact on different environments. Ori Gerscht’s work shows the violent destruction of natural beauty via the literal explosion of bouquets. Yan Wang Preston’s photos depict lush greenery precariously inhabiting structured, urban settings, while Pat Kane’s photographs document the Łutsël K'é Dene First Nation’s stewardship of their land in Northern Canada.
FEATURED ARTISTS
Alfredo De Stefano
Brendan Pattengale
Cig Harvey
David Ụzọchukwu
Djeneba Aduayom
Edward Burtynsky
Helene Schmitz
Inka & Niclas
Lewis Miller
Lori Nix / Kathleen Gerber
Ori Gersht
Pat Kane
Santeri Tuori
Yan Wang Preston
Shop the Collection
Explore items inspired by the Human / Nature exhibition at Fotografiska New York.
