Hiding in Plain Sight

The work centers on Heracleum persicum, commonly known as Giant Hogweed, a plant native to Iran that was displaced during the colonial era. Once prized as an ornamental species, it is now categorized as “alien and invasive” in Europe and North America.

The video examines how colonial histories have shaped the concepts of “native” and “non-native,” creating artificial landscapes and distorting the relationship between humans and the natural world.

The smooth, leisurely-moving images are extracted from surveillance drones’ footage tasked with locating and monitoring Giant Hogweed in Canada. By removing the rapid, jarring movements from the original footage, the images are transformed into a contemplative exploration of the landscape, prompting a reconsideration of our connection to the nature.

2022

Two-channel video installation, 26 min, continuous loop