nature, post-nature

Artist book. 25 x 17 cm, 42 pages, softcover, self-published (Melbourne). ISBN: 9780646803784. With Jessye Wdowin-McGregor, in collaboration with graphic designer Kim Mumm Hansen.

The post-natural describes a condition in which the boundaries between the biological and the technological dissolve. As technology becomes deeply integrated into our lives, it enables the manipulation of organisms and the emergence of new life forms beyond traditional conceptions of nature. This shift challenges established ideas of life, authenticity, and humanity, prompting reflection on our evolving relationship with the world.

While some critics reject the post-natural as based on outdated, romanticised notions of nature, others argue it reinforces harmful dualisms that separate humans from ecological systems. They caution that this mindset fosters control, exploitation, and environmental harm. Despite these critiques, the post-natural remains a provocative concept that compels us to rethink how technological intervention shapes both our identity and our environment. Whether embraced or resisted, it opens space for more nuanced understandings of the complex systems in which we are entangled.