Entering **Research Mode** to help you dive deeper into the "Man-Made Nature" theme with sources, references, and contextual studies to enrich your understanding and project development. --- ### 1. **Key Sources & Texts** - **Donna J. Haraway’s “Staying with the Trouble”**: Explores how humans and non-humans are entangled in the ecosystems we impact. Her work might inspire ways to articulate the ethical and philosophical implications of “Man-Made Nature.” - **Timothy Morton’s “Hyperobjects”**: Discusses objects like climate change that are so vast they redefine human perspectives on time and space. This could frame your work in terms of global human impact on nature. - **William Cronon’s “The Trouble with Wilderness”**: Challenges the romantic idea of untouched wilderness, arguing that even the concept of “nature” is constructed. Useful for works focusing on synthetic or managed landscapes. ### 2. **Contemporary Artists & Practices** - **Olafur Eliasson**: Known for installations like “The Weather Project” that replicate and manipulate natural phenomena within urban settings. His work could serve as inspiration for how to create immersive environments that question the authenticity of nature. - **Agnes Denes**: Her work, such as “Wheatfield—A Confrontation,” explores the intersection of nature and human industry. Consider how she uses living materials to create poignant statements about urban and ecological spaces. - **Trevor Paglen**: Engages with themes of surveillance and hidden infrastructure but could serve as an inspiration for thinking about the hidden artificiality in human-altered environments. ### 3. **Scientific Concepts & Environmental Studies** - **Biomimetics/Biomimicry**: Studying natural designs to inform human engineering. Research how organisms like the lotus flower or shark skin have inspired advancements in technology. You might incorporate these concepts into sculptures or designs that echo natural forms. - **Ecological Restoration and Urban Ecology**: Look into case studies where industrial sites have been reclaimed by nature or repurposed into urban green spaces. Examples include the High Line in New York City and the Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord in Germany. ### 4. **Technological Integration** - **Data Art**: Use real-time environmental data to drive digital installations that visualize climate conditions or pollution levels. Tools like Processing, Unity, or Arduino can help bridge art and environmental awareness. - **Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)**: Consider creating AR pieces where a barren urban landscape can be viewed as lush greenery through a device, or a VR experience that simulates a world overrun by synthetic nature. ### 5. **Philosophical and Cultural Context** - **Anthropocene Discussions**: Research how artists and scientists are defining and reacting to the Anthropocene, the current geological era marked by human impact. This framing can provide a philosophical backbone for exploring “Man-Made Nature.” - **Theories of the Sublime and the Post-Sublime**: Investigate how 18th-century ideas about the power and awe of nature have shifted in response to human-made environments. ### 6. **Interdisciplinary Collaborations** - **Environmental Scientists**: Collaborate with ecologists or climate scientists to root your work in credible research and real-world impact. - **Architects & Urban Planners**: Engage with professionals who design “green cities” or sustainable buildings. Their insights could influence your representation of artificial yet life-sustaining environments. ### Example Research Pathway 1. **Start with Academic Journals**: Search for papers on urban ecology, the Anthropocene, or biomimicry. Platforms like JSTOR or Google Scholar can be good starting points. 2. **Visit Environmental Art Exhibitions**: If possible, attend exhibitions or virtual tours focused on land art or eco-art to understand contemporary practices. 3. **Field Research**: If feasible, visit locations where nature and industry intersect, like old factories reclaimed by vegetation, urban green roofs, or artificial lakes in post-mining areas. --- Would you like me to elaborate on any of these research areas or suggest specific resources and next steps for developing your concept?