Cave men and women chose to adorn their walls with animal drawings, since that time our relationship with the planet has shifted.
In Lennette’s parallel evolution the elephant, lion, and zebra landscapes were photographed in Tanzania. These animals are located in National Parks and are protected as long as they do not travel out of boundaries and into unprotected poacher territory. In their natural environment they are subjected to numerous visitors from all over the world. This rigorous interaction of land rovers is common place and can interrupt important activities, such as hunting for food, traveling to a water source, and resting. Lennette observed that humans now long for these natural encounters, although their presence can nonetheless have detrimental effects. Humans have been destroying natural habitats steadily over time, and even as ecotourism aims to promote animal protection, we are nonetheless encroaching on their privacy. However, such visits seem to be the only way to provide the monetary funds that keep some animals livelihood in tact.
Across the globe, Lennette photographed the same domesticated species in Los Angeles, CA in a large studio. These intimate portraits show the same animals, but ones accustomed to their human family, enjoying all the comforts of being fed and protected, but ignorant of their natural environment. They have bonded closely with their human companions and each species values the other. The juxtaposition of these animals lifestyles leads us to a time and place unlike any other in history. These two parallel environments defines the adaptability of all creatures as our connection to the natural world continues to change, mostly due to our own decisions and actions.
