Never Seen Before (2025) merges Castelan with the Earth, which has been created through a selfie and a photograph via digital manipulation. The result is that the trees and Castelan have become one with nature. This challenges the concept that humanity dominates nature or cannot be the same as nature, as within the photograph, it is a merging of humanity and nature.
The work’s title, “Never Seen Before,” frames nature and humanity as one and directs it to those who believe humanity is above nature to question their egos. By using the selfie (or the self) the artwork has become a self-reflective work which invites the viewer to explore their own connections to the environment.
Step by Step (2025) perhaps is a continuation of the previous work “Never Seen Before (2025)” as the feet are now a part of the tree roots. This can suggest that humanity grows from the planet and is, thus, from the start, a part of nature. This, therefore, helps to challenge the viewer’s perception that humanity is above nature as it implores the viewer to see that humans are inextricably linked to the Earth.
The work thus critiques the view that humanity is detached from our environment and instead gives us the headspace to be conscious and reclaim our place within nature. The distortion and blurriness of the feet into the roots create a dreamy appearance, allowing the viewer to review their own identity and existence as part of this planet rather than above it.
Rooted (2025) goes further than the previous two works and instead incorporates Castelan into the Earth. We are not only a part of nature, but nature is a part of us. Our identity only exists as nature has created us; therefore, humanity cannot unlink itself from it. The body has become textured and amalgamated with the roots connecting us to the Earth.
The description of the work, “I explore my body as part of the Earth”, invites the viewer to do the same and reflect on how we see the Earth and ourselves. Being “rooted” is to be dependent on the Earth- which is coincidentally true as if this Earth dies- humanity dies along with it.