Taxonomic photography in the herbarium

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33732/ASRI.6438

Keywords:

Photography; herbarium; science; taxonomy; ecology.

Abstract

The article discusses the evolution of herbarium aesthetics, from the first scientific drawings to the emergence of botanical photography and its relationship to artistic movements such as Art Nouveau. It highlights the impact of works such as Karl Blossfeldt's on botanical photography and how these images marked a turning point in the representation of herbaria.

A number of contemporary photographic projects are presented that reinterpret the classical aesthetic of the herbarium and question the relationship between the real and the simulated in the image. These examples illustrate a critical and socially engaged re-reading that proposes a new approach to the representation of nature.

The article concludes by reflecting on the need to revise the conventional standards of herbaria, which have relegated plants to mere objects of study, stripping them of their context and cultural significance. It proposes a new look at botany, from both art and science, that recognises and respects the complexity and interdependence between plants and their environment, thus challenging the patriarchal view of the relationship between humans and nature.

Author Biography

Lucia Moreno, Complutense University of Madrid

Associate professor in the Design degree at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Complutense University of Madrid. She works as a photographer and designer in collaboration with agencies and publishers, and has participated as an editorial designer in several projects around botany such as “Herbarios Imaginados” or “Ellas Ilustran botánica”, of which she is also co-curator. She is a member of the research group Art, Technology, Image and Conservation of Cultural Heritage, and is currently completing her doctoral thesis on photographic herbaria and botanical representation in art and science through photography.      

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Lucia Moreno

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Published

2023-12-31

How to Cite

Moreno, L. (2023). Taxonomic photography in the herbarium. ASRI. Art and Society. Journal for Research in Arts and Digital Humanities, (24), 32–45. https://doi.org/10.33732/ASRI.6438

Issue

No. 24 (2023): OpenASRI. Miscellaneous Number

Section

Artículos

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