GRADE - HIGH DISTINCTION - 94%

FEEDBACK:

“Hi Marley!

This is an exceptionally well-conceived project that demonstrates remarkable intellectual depth and creative ambition. "There is No such Thing as Nature" is a genuinely sophisticated exploration of philosophical ecology, identity, and the constructed nature of our relationship with the natural world. Your ability to weave together concepts from psychoanalysis, quantum physics, Buddhist ontology, and Surrealist methodology into a cohesive philosophical argument is impressive and speaks to a level of intellectual curiosity and synthesis that is rare in undergraduate work. The physical book you've created is beautifully designed and produced—the typography, layout, colour palette, and overall aesthetic demonstrate genuine care and professional-level attention to detail. This is clearly a project that has deep personal significance, and that meaning radiates from every page.

Your text supports the imagery without overpowering it. You've managed to create a photobook that functions on multiple levels: the photographs can be experienced visually for their formal qualities and aesthetic resonance, while the accompanying prose provides conceptual depth for those who wish to engage more deeply with the philosophical questions you're raising. The nature photography itself is technically accomplished and thoughtfully composed, with your use of black and white, selective colour highlighting, and careful attention to light and shadow creating images that invite contemplation. The interplay between the intimate macro details and broader landscape views creates a visual rhythm that mirrors the oscillation between specific observation and universal philosophical inquiry that structures your thesis.

Your self-awareness throughout the process is commendable and shows real maturity as both a thinker and maker. Your acknowledgment in the artist statement that "somewhere along the way I forgot this was a photography assignment" and your recognition of patterns in your creative expression demonstrate genuine reflexivity about your practice. However, what you frame as a potential shortcoming is actually evidence of your commitment to following ideas where they lead and your willingness to take creative risks. 

This project represents an important step in your evolution as an artist-philosopher, and while you may see areas where the photography could more directly embody the concepts without textual support, the work as it stands is ambitious, thoughtfully executed, and genuinely engaging. You've created something that invites multiple readings and rewards careful attention, which is exactly what the best photobooks do.   Your willingness to follow your curiosity, to engage deeply with difficult ideas, and to create work that has meaning beyond the assignment  is exactly the kind of approach that leads to genuine artistic development. This is an impressive achievement and a strong indication of the thoughtful, ambitious work you're capable of producing.”

- Tricia King