The project 200 Million Years takes its name from the deep evolutionary history of butterflies, who have existed for over 200 million years – long predating the existence of humanity. This timeline serves as a counterpoint to their fragility today, as the ongoing sixth mass extinction and drastic insect population declines threaten
entire ecosystems.

Depicting the butterfly as a mystical and scientific figure, 200 Million Years unfolds across several interrelated series. Each series offers a distinct entry point into how we relate to nature—and how these relationships are shaped by aesthetics, science, and history.

All photographs and moving images were taken in two places in Munich: a botanical garden simulating tropical habitats, and the world’s largest butterfly collection.
Both are spaces shaped by history and contradiction. They kept me close to the butterfly—continuously asking: What does it need from me? How can I protect it in my depictions?