Marina Caneve: On the Ground Among the Animals

On the ground among the animals is a research project that takes the Natura 2000 network as a reference for researching the place that human beings occupy within nature. This network is a series of ecological corridors promoted by the European Union, created to preserve fauna, flora and biodiversity. It is a transnational communication system that goes beyond the border policies of each state, and puts ecological logic first. Bridges are some of the most important infrastructures in the network, since they make it easier for animals to overcome architectural barriers such as motorways and roads. At the same time, multiple fences and security cameras monitor and follow their movements, casting doubt on their apparent freedom of movement. The series includes landscape views of natural spaces and photographs of viaducts and other constructions, as well as snapshots of animals captured by surveillance cameras installed by researchers. This work explores the tensions that emerge from the power that human beings try to exert over nature. To do so, the author analyses the contradictory relationships between infrastructure construction, policies and freedom of movement, and nature conservation.