New York Botanical Garden
The 16th POLLUX AWARDS, Nature Category, Juror: Stephen Perloff
END OF THE DARK WINTER
End of The Dark Winter is a two-part visual manifesto born from a moment of silent rebellion. This body of work—recognized by the Pollux Awards—was my defiant response to a world gripped by a narrative of isolation and “darkness.”
Part I: The Impressionistic Interior
In the first movement of this series, I retreated into the microscopic. These six images are an abstract, internal dialogue—impressionistic studies in soft pinks and blurred forms. They capture the “silent declaration” of a spirit seeking light in the midst of a collective withdrawal. By deconstructing the botanical into ethereal, high-energy abstractions, I sought to find the vibrancy of life that remained even when the world felt still.
Part II: The Reclaimed Landscape – View Part II
The second movement marks a shift from the internal to the monumental. Here, I returned to the broader landscape of the New York Botanical Garden, documenting the “dark winter” not as a place of dormant fear, but as an arena of structural power. In these maximalist compositions, I consciously manipulated color and contrast to bridge the seasons—making the dying light of autumn vibrate with the electric promise of spring.
Together, these series serve as my testament that “darkness” is a choice of perspective. Through the architectural clarity of the NYBG grounds and the persistent spirit of the native meadows, I reclaimed the winter as a time of unapologetic growth and resilient beauty.