Nature includes living organisms, such as plants, animals and humans. All these living organisms influence life on the earth. Although humans are part of nature, we often identify ourselves more with ‘culture’ and not with nature.

Traditionally, our relation with nature has been about an unlimited food and material supplier. The demand for the function of nature for physical and mental health is becoming increasingly relevant. Nature is also a source of both aesthetics and innovation. Think of biomimicry, where nature is a model for artificially made systems. Recently more fundamental questions about an optimal relationship between man and nature have arisen. How can and should human and nature relate to each other? If we see ourselves no more and no less than plants or animals, and part of nature, would that lead to a more harmoniously relationship with nature?

In the photography project ‘Human = Nature’ I look for a connection and it becomes clear that nature and human beings are indeed very much linked to each other.

A human being experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty – (loosely translated from) Albert Einstein