Mosses were one of the first species to migrate from water to land, at least 350 million years ago. It usually takes 25 years for a layer of moss to grow an inch. This project explores the existence of mosses in urban environments and their relationship to human society.
Mosses are very small and do not interact directly with humans, but they do incooperate human-made substances in their tiny environments. Most mosses have leaves that are only one cell thick, containing a few specialised supply tissues to transport water along the stem. As they have a very thin boundary between their cells and the surrounding air, mosses filter dust and harmful pollution from the air.
In "Silent Spring," Carson warns that humans tend to forget how crucial plants are to our survival. Capitalism affects the environment, altering communication between species and blurring the lines between culture, nature, pollution and life.
Moss can grow in various places like roads, between stones and in brick crevices. These areas can hold water and accumulate rubbish, providing nutrients for the moss. Moss, therefore, are an important part of the built environment—processing water, air and pollution. The project explores the microscopic quality of moss species as they filter and process the city. A 1000x macro camera was used to photograph the moss and enter the microscopic world by photographing the way the moss adheres to different human-made materials.