Reflection

Reflection

Oddly, I have always been drawn to the bleak, stagnant nature of concrete. I have written countless poems on the subway, watching the concrete tunnel hurry to keep up. But at heart, I am an ecologist— I want, more than anything, the synchronization of the modern city and the ancient flora. To create a digital garden through “MOTHER CONCRETE” creates a quiet space, just as an urban garden would prove to many. Juxtaposing literature and science, I wanted to connect the human ideas of wonder, dissent, and progress with “environmental mistakes” made every day. My idea was sparked when witnessing Washington DC’s Temperance Alley Garden, a beautiful oasis in the middle of a rapidly changing city. Engaging with the theme of Looking Inside, Going Outside, I ask viewers to wonder how their city can become more synchronized with the ecosystems that have been beaten down by years of rapid construction. Perhaps by campaigning for a storm garden on the next block, or participating in environmentalist events, they can help disseminate a new urbanism, questioning how we can provide for the regenerative health of our urban environments.