Evolution Override

Abstract

'Evolution Override' asks us to come to terms with our evolutionary limitations which tend to color our view of the natural world. What are we overlooking? Why does the majority of the population feel more emotionally connected to animals than plants?

This project aims to uncover place-based knowledge about plants, their properties, and why anyone should pay attention to them. After studying local flora and fauna, certain species were selected for ink testing, resulting in experiments made from locally sourced plants.

Early last spring, I began documenting local plants in a sketchbook, resulting in an atlas of my local neighborhood in Copenhagen, Denmark.

After learning how to mix my own watercolor binder using gum arabic, I started experimenting with thermal extraction to capture the delicate pigments that each plant produced.

The picture to the left is an experiment using White Dead Nettle and Hibiscus flower which created unexpected reactions when mixed together.

Although the plant colors were mild and most were variations of yellow or beige, these experiments showed me how unique each plant's chemical composition was. When combined, the inks reacted in strange and unpredictable ways, leaving me with more questions than I started with.

Each experiment carries with it a unique expression of place. Through these methods of extraction and manipulation, I'm able to see a version of life that is invisible to our naked eyes.

Evolution has shaped us to selectively ignore our environment for the benefit of our survival. For me, this method of documentation is a way of overriding our evolutionary limitations and truly 'seeing' what is right in front of us.