it is not yours is intended as an examination of a nation’s ecological identity in the context of cultural heritage and commercial production. More specifically, it is an investigation into the relationship between a nation’s botanical character (national flower) and its crop production as speculation into the inherent value of cultural distinction in contrast with value based on economic offerings. In this media study scenario, the theme of distribution intersects where a particular national economy supplies a specific good to the global market that often characterises its value in juxtaposition with the significance of botanic representation meant to encapsulate that culture’s legacy. This provokes a question; do we value a nation of people based on what they can offer or based on their unique character? It is a question of productivity distribution vs cultural contribution.

Mexico is known for its rich biodiversity as well as its productive capacity. It could also be characterised as an exploited nation sharing a border with the most prominent consumerist market in the world; the U.S. economy. The national flower of Mexico, the Dahlia (Dahlia pinnata) is an iconic plant that beautifully captures the country’s aesthetic and heritage. They were used as a source of food and medicine by the indigenous peoples and were both gathered in the wild and cultivated. The Aztecs used them to treat epilepsy and employed the long hollow stem for water pipes. Indigenous peoples variously identified the plants as "Chichipatl" (Toltecs) and "Acocotle" or "Cocoxochitl" (Aztecs). From Hernandez’s perception of Aztec to Spanish, the word is "water cane", "water pipe", "water pipe flower", "hollow stem flower" and "cane flower". In the modern global food production market, Mexico is often synonymous with its supply of avocados. Avocado production is important to the economy of Mexico with the country being the world's largest producer of the crop. Demand for avocados has exploded in the last decade, and Mexican production of “green-gold” has expanded to meet it and now supplies 45 percent of the international avocado market. Avocados have also been cited as a resource intensive crop whose production stands as a significant driver of deforestation, simultaneously degrading the country’s landscapes and environmental legacy.

This project will employ 35mm film analogue photography to capture and illuminate the dynamic relationship between these two entities of Mexico’s national identity. By viewing them in a neutral space, perceptions of their significance will be challenged. Furthermore, observing their decay over time provokes sentiments regarding the alteration of that culture’s heritage in response to increased exposure to market distribution. This exercise in reflection will draw focus onto how a culture is commodified and distributed in an ecological context.