: Dispersal: Slot A1 at 72h

Completion year: 2018

Technique: photograph (Diasec)

Size: 52,5 cm x 69 cm

Edition: 5 + 2 a.p.

Keywords: Paula Humberg, Dispersal, biotaide, Grönlanti, ilmastonmuutos, hyönteinen, bioart, Greenland, climate change, insect

“Dispersal” is a project that I did in collaboration with biologist Riikka Kaartinen at the Zackenberg research station in Greenland. Researchers have found that the number of the most important local pollinators – the muscid flies – has decreased by up to 80 % during the past 20 years. Climate change is believed to be the main cause behind the decline.

We collected muscids and other pollinators and used fluorescent pigment to dye the pollen of the mountain avens (a local keystone species) to conduct a test. The aim was to visualise how different assemblages of pollinators would succeed in pollinating the flowers – this was simulated by the spread of the fluorescent pigment from one flower to another. The series displays the results as photographs.

The series comprises 4 pairs of photographs that were shot under UV light to show both the start and end points of the test, 3 other photographs and a collection of pollinators that were used in the test.

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