May Be an Image of Nature
The landscape photographs in my series “May Be an Image of Nature” depict landscapes created by humans and simulated habitats for zoo animals—landscapes that, at first glance, appear more illusion than reality. After all, they “only” imitate real nature. But aren’t they just as much landscapes as naturally grown areas and cultural landscapes that have been altered by humans over the centuries? Can’t such images also be images of nature, as the title of the series suggests?
What fascinates me about these places is the illusion of freedom. As an academically trained geographer, I see boundaries even where they shouldn’t be visible. The new cages no longer require iron bars; they are embedded in the landscape. However, the disappearance of bars from zoos does not make the animals any freer—it only frees the visitors’ view.
Zoos are publicly accessible places that often function as spaces for communal experience. The artificial landscapes in zoos reflect a constructed ideal of nature created for the community. This raises questions about how “shared” nature and resources are designed, used, and presented.
Find out more:
Website: mapfactory.de
Instagram: @mapfactory
