Photographs by Jamie Hawkesworth
Politically a part of the war-torn country of Yemen while geographically a part of Africa, everything about the archipelago of Socotra is unique. The island’s ecosystem is teeming with remarkable wildlife populations that include 700 endemic species, like the prehistoric-looking dragon’s blood trees.
Caught in a tug-of-war between the Yemeni government and the United Arab Emirates, the mythic “Galapagos of the Middle East” finds itself at a particularly interesting (and difficult to reach) latitude. Since war broke out in Yemen in 2015, Socotra has existed largely in isolation from the rest of the world—until recently. From the ineffable flora and fauna to the cerulean and crimson colored sunsets, see for yourself what makes Socotra unlike anywhere else on Earth.
Neo-Natural is a study of humankind's relationship to nature in the age of climate change, including topics such as resource depletion and regeneration, gene editing, cellular agriculture, and the increasingly inarguable effects of the Anthropocene on indigenous communities around the globe. It features contributions from artists like Yoko Ono, ANOHNI, Ryan McGinley, Daniel Beltra, and more, all attempting to answer the question: What does "natural" mean in the modern world?
Socotra
