Illuminating The Sixth Extinction

Firefly sightings have dropped precipitously over the last decade, both in terms of location and individual numbers. In this regard, they have become bioluminescent indicator species of the Anthropocene. The noticeable absence of these glowing beacons from roadside bushes and prairie fields is a stark reminder of the unseen number of species lost due to pesticide use, habitat loss, light pollution, urbanization, industrialization, and agricultural intensification.

Illuminating the Sixth Extinction examines the current mass extinction event through collaborative image-making with non-human species.

These co-created artworks evoke a sense of curiosity and wonder in the connections between species. As a marriage of conceptual photography and scientific exploration, these works highlight the technical possibilities of interspecies photography and center an acknowledgement of climate change, the sixth extinction, and the precarious interconnections among living things. These works have been made possible by artist residency awards at the University of Notre Dame Environmental Research Center and the University of Wisconsin Trout Lake Research Station.