RESIDUE

From the 1940’s to 1970’s, a Southern California chemical corporation dumped thousands of barrels containing DDT into the ocean, causing mass disruption to the ecosystems on California’s’ Channel Islands. I first learned of DDT and biomagnification in high school, struck by the toxin’s ability to sneak up the food chain and wipe out apex predators; in this case, the bald eagle. After researching and visiting the retired factory, now a superfund site, I created photographs and drawings that convey the aftermath of this historical crisis, particularly how its impact lingers in the environment. A reminder that all the chemicals we depend on haunt our landscape, never truly disappearing.