This series was inspired by a book I read over the summer of 2023, Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Kimmerer. It is a beautifully written book that explores the relationship between humans and Mother Earth. Each image title references some of my favorite chapters in her book. As a mother, scientist, decorated professor, and enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Kimmerer discusses the reciprocal relationship we can share with the Earth.

The photographs connect to Kimmerer’s work as a way to explore our society’s relationship with consumerism, pollution, consumption, and the Earth; blurring the lines between artificial and natural. This work is a still life series because traditionally pieces of this nature emphasize the natural ephemerality of the subject, often fruits, vegetables, and flowers. When thinking about this notion, I wanted to visually represent the artificial ephemerality of life in the sense that we as a capitalistic society are unjustly contributing to its demise. Specifically thinking in themes of worsening climate change, the disruption of farming and agriculture, and how we continue to consume finite resources. This series is my reflection on Braiding Sweetgrass and the result of taking the cultural knowledge Robin discusses to think about how I can better my relationship with the Earth. How can we, as a collective society?

How can we live sustainably? What’s accessible? Affordable? All while understanding the limits of the choices we are given. The privilege, or lack of it, in the choices we make. Carefully considering the responsibility corporations carry compared to the individual. More and more people around me are making their best conscious efforts to engage in sustainable practices, but the consumer alone can only do so much and it won’t be enough. So, will corporations embrace the Indigenous framework of the “Honorable Harvest” and take on their share of responsibility? How can we hold them accountable?

“To take only what is given. To use it well. To be grateful for the gift. And to reciprocate the gift.”