Paradise Lost

Overview

Aside from his work in fashion photography, New Zealand born photographer Derek Henderson has an expansive portfolio of exteriors, landscapes, curious spaces, artless portraits and nudes. With use of a large format camera, his new photographic prints series Paradise Lost explores the introduction of the invasive Kudzu plant species into existing biological environments.

The Japan noxious weed was introduced into the United States as a decorative vine in the mid-nineteenth century, before being used by the military as camouflage whilst visiting many islands in the South Pacific. It is now a major weed across many of the islands and has been known to spread at the rate of 150,000 acres per year.

The intricate photographs document history and impact of the vegetation in Tavenui, Fiji, combined with a quasi-mythical camouflaged beast in order to reflect upon the native and the exotic, invasion and colonisation.