Mycelial Traces, 2025

This printmaking work combines etching and woodblock techniques to explore the intricate and complex relationship between microorganisms and the environment. Against the backdrop of global climate change and ecological imbalance, the evolution and reduction of microbial communities have become hidden witnesses to nature’s transformations. The interwoven fine lines and layered textures in the print symbolise the fragility and adaptability of fungal networks under environmental pressures. These seemingly insignificant life forms in fact underpin the cycles and balance of entire ecosystems. Their shifts reflect broader ecological crises and uncertainties about the future. My print invites viewers to pay attention to the often-overlooked microscopic world and to consider how human actions permeate even the smallest layers of ecological systems, ultimately influencing the sustainability of the entire web of life.This image was submitted to the Ngā Ara Whetū | Centre for Climate, Biodiversity and Society photograph exhibition Woven Worlds: Research, Art and Sustainability, part of the 2025 Auckland Festival of Photography. The exhibition was displayed at ProjectSpace, Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland, 9-15 June 2025.