“Environmental issues like global warming and outbreaks like the COVID-19 virus are the result of an exploding population. Considering this and the individualistic mindset of democratic societies, I am struck by how difficult it is to imagine a truly unified response to existential threats.

This photo is about curtailing individualistic desires and collectively striking a balance with nature. The plastic materiality of lush wildlife is paired with a macabre and dubiously optimistic depiction of self-sacrifice. It is a meticulously designed and constructed set, a theatrical quality that wrongly suggests the flattering story of us is predetermined and out of our control.”

— Noah McWilliams (College Park, MD)