Artist Statement
My series “Trafficked" sheds light on the illegal trade of wildlife. I obtained specimens confiscated by the Wildlife Enforcement Branch of the Canadian government. By portraying the specimens through a series of traditional still life images, I allude to a past when exotic trade was an important part of empire building, linking the subject matter to the a disturbing present reality and viewed through a contemporary lens. What’s at stake is the lost of species and the irreparable disruption of the world’s biodiversity. The imperfections of the 19th century wet collodion photographic process used to create the images allowed me to underscore humanity’s own imperfections and the impermanence of life.
