TRAFFICKED

TRAFFICKED, sheds light on the illegal trade of wildlife. By portraying specimens through a series of tintypes, I allude to a past when exotic trade was an important part of empire building, linking my subject matter to a disturbing present reality. My intent is to illuminate what the viewer cannot see, providing a voice for the invisible through the viewer’s imagination. The inspiration for my project is the 19th century photographic pioneer William Henry Fox Talbot and reflects my continued interest in the tenuous relationship between humans and the natural environment. The series presents a worldwide environmental issue. I explore objects confiscated at the border by the Wildlife Enforcement Branch of the Canadian Government through a series of disquieting “nature mortes” that reflect the erosion of species and biodiversity. My visual narrative touches on a multiplicity of ideas related to the relationship between humans and nature including our material culture, loss and identity.