Snow Lichen

Snow lichen (Stereocaulon) are adapted to volcanic and alpine areas, resistant to extreme weather conditions. Their highly branched, modular growth forms are a survival strategy that helps them withstand the mechanical stress of wind and frost. As glaciers retreat, they are among the first vegetative forms to colonize the newly exposed bedrock.

Digitally crafted and animated forms and textures of snow lichen microhabitats amplify my visual observations from visits to the Vatnajökull glaciers. The ever-shifting patches of exposed and replaced rocks and conglomerates create hybrid materialities that are blurring boundaries between conventional expectations. Guided by biological curiosity and technological experimentation, I generated variegated visual narratives that invite the viewers to embrace change and adaptation learning from lichen.