The Toxicity of Blooming
This project depicts the occurrence of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) in freshwater bodies in Utah, USA. Though the precise cause of HABs is debated, research suggests that they occur when nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen, and carbon accumulate within a water body at an unnatural rate. Much of these nutrients come from water runoff of human-based processes such as agricultural fertilizers and wastewater treatment facilities. Microscopic and aerial images depict this phenomenon in a way that the human eye cannot perceive from a natural perspective, suggesting to the viewer the unpredictable nature of every small action. The visual interest of this imagery draws the viewer in and encourages them to investigate further.
HABs affect ecosystems worldwide in both saltwater and freshwater bodies, making this project globally relevant. Photographic evidence can ease the burden of scientists by communicating environmental change to the public in a way that is easy to interpret. By bringing this project into the art gallery, the artist changes the context of what is traditionally discussed exclusively within scientific and political realms, making it more accessible to the public and opening up possibilities for change.
Download the Freshwater Harmful Algal Bloom Zine
This project was made possible by the Undergraduate Research and Creative Opportunities grant and supported by the Caine College of the Arts, the Department of Art + Design, the S. J. & Jessie Quinney College of Natural Resources, and the Department of Watershed Sciences.