Reflections of an Invader by Julián Ernesto Espejo Salamanca

Present in plain sight within the territory, yet hidden and unnoticed, two plants are spreading and threatening the diversity of Colombian ecosystems. The photographer explains, ‘introduced by human whim, these monsters are spreading, leaving destruction in their wake.’ The first is an African vine, popularly known as black-eyed Susan or ‘ojo de poeta’ (Thunbergia alata), which was introduced in the 1880s for ornamental purposes. The other is the gorse (Ulex europaeus), a shrub introduced in the 1950s with the ill-conceived belief that it could control erosion and serve as ‘a living fence’ due to its dense, thorny nature. Despite their captivating beauty, these two plants are now freely suffocating native species, spreading their deadly charm and irreversibly transforming and homogenising the landscape. Through this project, the photographer partially illuminated these plants with red light at sunset, night-time and dawn, to create and reveal monstrous forms that depict the dual facets of beauty and chaos presented by these plants. ‘These images serve as a visual representation of human impact and actions that must change today if we want to protect our ecosystems.’