Daniel Kariko

Daniel Kariko is an Assistant Professor of Fine Art Photography and Photography Area Coordinator in School of Fine Arts and Design at East Carolina University, in Greenville, North Carolina. Kariko’s images investigate environmental and political aspects of landscape, use of land and cultural interpretation of inhabited space. He worked on several long-term photographic projects in Serbia, recording the aftermath of the war in Balkans. Since 1999 Kariko documented the endangered wetlands and dramatic changes in the landscape in Barataria- Terrebonne region of South Louisiana. For the past several years, Kariko worked collaboratively with the ECU Department of Biology’s Microscopy and Imaging Facility on Scanning Electron Microscope images of common household pests.

Suburban Symbiosis: Insectum domesticus
Scanning Electron Microscope composite images

Insects find way into our homes no matter how vigilant we are in our effort to keep the nature on the outer side of our windowpanes. During his investigation of suburban experience, Daniel Kariko started recording the indoor wildlife consistent with the environment his subdivision occupied.
In the Southeast, the seasons can be measured by the occurrences of different insect swarms. Insects represent almost 85% of all known animal species. Taxonomists name and describe about 2000 species of insects annually. Unfortunately, many species of insects will become extinct before they are even discovered, due to habitat loss and other environmental problems.
Yet, these little (and sometimes not so little) invaders are natural product of human occupation of their habitat. As subdivisions keep expanding to the outskirts of towns, they occupy recently altered environments. This project investigates the results of human’s habitat expansion into rural areas. Images are meant to be portraits of the often-overlooked housemates.

The “portraits” are composites of a number of exposures with Scanning Electron Microscope and Stereoscopic Microscope. Kariko carefully arranges the LED lighting, small reflectors, and diffusers, in order to achieve a “portrait”-like effect inspired by the tradition of 17th Century Dutch masters.

To view more of Daniel’s work please visit his website.