The Banff National Park in Canada promotes primeval wilderness, but treats the land as a scientific laboratory at large. The park’s »Restoring to Zero« program is one example: it attempts to bring the ecosystem back to its pre-colonial state by means of today"s technology. Among other strategies, “weed pulling programs for non-native, alien species” are carried out in order to control invasive species.
The photo series »Restoring to Zero« shows the coordinator of the plant control unit holding a painted galaxy backdrop in front of his priority one targets: Scentless chamomile, Spotted knapweed, Tansy, Nodding thistle, Tall buttercup. Thanks to the horizon-forming arrangement of the photos, an artificial landscape unfolds. Like a science-fiction film, the out-of-space composition inquires into its point of origin.