2017.12 IN:VISION

We think of nature in the city as an afterthought, a non-issue: invisible microbes lace every surface, fill the air with living possibility, both pernicious and benign. Invasive plants make the green walls that fence the empty lots, the commuter-rail rights of way. But these organisms aren't only passing facts; they are involved with us, all the way down. Even as the calendar ticks over to winter, the rhizomes of invasive plants infiltrate the soil. Bacteria and fungi colonize the surfaces of the city, from garbage to the glamorous, seeking food and safety. When they come together, they can tell us stories about the city and ourselves.

Keith Hartwig & Matthew Battles