Representing BIODIVERSITY

aesthetics

convergences

Jakob Kudsk Steensen Berl-Berl 2021

Jakob Kudsk Steensen, Berl-Berl, 2021. Live simulation (still). Commissioned by: LAS Art Foundation. Courtesy of the artist.

Over the past decade, following the adoption of the 2030 SDGs, contemporary art has shown increasing interest in responding to the challenges posed by sustainability, including terrestrial, marine, and aquatic biodiversity.

At an international level, several artists have initiated the production of works with distinct techniques and approaches that aimed to raise awareness on the topic of biodiversity, or allow to experience it. Stefano Cozzi, Jakob Kudsk Steensen, and Danh Vo represent three distinct aesthetic approaches that reflect the complexity of the relationship between human beings and nature.

Jakob Kudsk Steensen in Berl-Berl, an immersive, virtual installation, recreates a digital wetland inspired by the ecosystems of Brandenburg. Realized through the recreation of environmental sounds, the work invites the public to “experience” the often forgotten wetland ecosystem on which many modern cities have been built. The aesthetic here is sensory, evocative, and relies on emotional and technological immersion to stimulate empathy for natural environments.

Instead, Station Haven by Danh Vo represents an aesthetic of process and slowness. It is a garden in transformation, located near a Danish train station, a true space of ecological regeneration. The work engages scientists, chefs and curators to reflect on the interconnectedness of biodiversity, community and sustainable agricultural practices.
Vo’s aesthetic is one of care, everydayness and relationship over time.

Danh Vo, Güldenhof 2018-2025
Danh Vo, Güldenhof 2018-2025. Photo credits: Nick Ash
Stefano Cozzi, When I left home, 2025.
Stefano Cozzi, When I left home, 2025. Courtesy of the artist
Stefano Cozzi, When I left home, 2025. Courtesy of the artist

When I left home, taken from Stefano Cozzi’s photographic series, intends to emphasize the idea of non-separation between ecosystem and human, highlighting the invisible connections between the human body and its surrounding environment. Through the juxtaposition of infrared images and documentary photographs, the artist creates a scientific aesthetic that invites us to rethink the concept of the boundary between nature and culture, body and territory.

These three examples show how, with different languages, contemporary art can generate new narratives about biodiversity, fostering a critical and sensitive dialogue with our planet.

The contents of the online exhibition are based on the chapters of the volume “DisSeminActions: Telling Biodiversity.” Ledizioni, 2025 – open access