ABOUT GESTURES FROM THE LAND

The Gestures from the Land exhibit invites viewers to witness the intimate language of wild plants — through the lens of Santa Fe-based conservation photographer Christina Selby. This collaborative exhibition explores the extraordinary biodiversity of New Mexico and the greater Southwest, revealing native wildflowers as essential contributors to ecosystem health, vital allies to pollinators, birds, and wildlife, and quiet companions to the human spirit. Through this body of work, Selby asks us to celebrate these botanical treasures — and to protect them.

Artist’s Statement

“The land speaks to us through gestures... If we listen to the land, we will know what to do.”

—Terry Tempest Williams, The Open Space of Democracy

Every spring, public lands across the Southwest erupt in breathtaking floral color—living tapestries of rare and native wildflowers. These lands—national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and Bureau of Land Management areas—are more than scenic, they’re essential sanctuaries. With space to grow, protection from development, industry, agriculture, and relatively undisturbed ecosystems, public lands provide the conditions rare and native plants need to survive. They also offer us the opportunity to witness, appreciate, and advocate for the fragile beauty of natural communities.

In my wildflower photography, I seek to capture the gesture of plants—the subtle lean of a flower toward a rainbow after a storm, a bloom opening its petals in response to the vibration of a pollinator’s wings, or a cluster of wildflowers gathered together like a community. These small movements reflect a larger language—an expression of life, resilience, and connection.

I experience wildflowers as gifts from the land—ephemeral works of art scattered like blessings across the landscape. They act as spiritual messengers, reminding me to slow down, to delight in the details, and to honor the present moment. I listen for their stories—tales of survival, adaptation, and relationship—and I translate those into images. In return, I share their voices in the hope that others will fall in love with them too, and feel moved to protect their habitats.