API 15-163-12069 Marcotte, KS 2012

Mishka Henner made this aerial image of Marcotte, Kansas, using satellite photography, a contemporary form of image-making that shifts our perspective to a distant vantage point. Henner’s photographs address environmental concerns; they reflect how landscapes are altered by human activity. Here, what might seem like an abstract composition reveals the unsettling reality of industrial intervention in rural America. The scarred earth and stark geometry disrupt any sense of a harmonious relationship between humanity and nature. Henner's work invites us to contemplate the complex layers of environmental impact, as he once stated: "I am trying to make visible what is often unseen." This piece compels us to consider the ethical implications of our consumption and the lasting impact on our shared environment.