Richard Mosse Explores Environmental Crimes Through Living Maps

'Tristes Tropiques' uses a form of resistance mapmaking, where Mosse intended this medium to reveal endangered landscapes to expose human activities that threaten the entire Amazon and our global climate. These images can be seen as living maps since they show signs of life, but also encapsulating forest die-back, tipping points and ecocide.

The series of large-scale, vibrant photographic maps depict frangible organic matter in a state of deforestation and ecological damage. The Ireland-born artist chose to use geographic information system (GIS) technology to create thousands of multispectral images captured at each site by drone. This technique preserves and maintains the geopolitical, multinational, local, and cultural aspects of these active spaces. Mosse’s narrative is further told through searing maps that highlight areas of environmental attrition.

In this work, Mosse continues his investigation of borders between documentary photography and contemporary art through a variety of mediums.