My Own Nature
My Own Nature is a series of Ilfochrome photographs produced between 1999 and 2002. The work depicts ambiguous, unidentifiable forms that radiate a life of their own, blurring the boundary between the real and the imagined. Through close observation and transformation of organic materials, the images evoke a sense of independent life and invite viewers into a space of visual uncertainty and discovery.
The series developed from my earlier photographic work with albino frogs and sea anemones in aquariums and tropical fish stores. While these subjects deeply influenced my visual language, particularly their embryonic forms and aquatic stillness, I sought greater autonomy over my process and environment. By constructing my own ecosystems using fruits and vegetables, I was able to retain an underwater sensibility while creating imagery that feels both unfamiliar and intimately connected to the natural world.
At the heart of My Own Nature is a personal connection to nature and a lifelong fascination with science, especially the microscopic realm, where close observation reveals structures that feel both intimate and alien. When photographed in close proximity, ordinary materials shed their recognizable identities and begin to resemble corals, sea anemones, or newly imagined organisms. The series reflects a sense of wonder and reverence for nature’s capacity to transform, and a desire to explore the boundaries between observation, invention, and emotional experience.
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