Jennifer Goya
Biophilia, 2022
Single Channel Animation
4 minute 45 sec
Biophilia by definition is a term used to describe the human need to connect to nature. It is also the title of an experimental film that visualizes a landscape of young ʻōhi‘a lehua trees growing in an open lava field. Each tree is positioned in a dreamlike spotlight that slowly fades. First, the landscape fades away followed by one tree at a time. Ōhiʻa lehua is sacred in Hawaii–it’s the physical manifestation of several Hawaiian deities and also known for its resilience, as it’s one of the first plant life to break through lava to sustain other plant life. While ʻōhi‘a lehua manifests life in nature, it does so in personal relationships as well.
Biophilia is part of a series about Rapid Ōhiʻa Death (ROD). The series features an interactive multimedia installation (Remember Ōhiʻa) that was on display in the Fall 2021 at the Honolulu Museum of Art’s Artists of Hawaii Now exhibition.
Exhibition
Video Sound Archive
Season 8
October 6, 2023 @ 9 pm ET
Digital Art Society of Hawaii
Pauahi Tower Gallery
Honolulu, Hawaii
September 10 – November 5, 2022