The Normalization of Simulated Nature

Simulated nature can exist in the form of virtual reality, social media, animation, and even gaming. It is a rendered version of our natural world that holds both truths and falsities. In this work, I investigate the normalization of simulated nature as it exists in society, especially for younger generations. I began this project by creating renders of plants around the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, using an animation software called Blender. Once simulated scenes were produced, I used a portable projector to project the simulated scene onto the natural landscape. I then photographed the installation with a digital camera. My photographs collapse the layers of simulation and natural landscape so that at times it becomes hard to tell what is real and what is rendered. I leave the work with open questions: How can we better technology to aid conservation of the environment instead of distancing us further from it? How can we utilize the excess of empathy existing online in the forms of likes, shares, and donations and bring that back into our everyday exchanges with nature?