JOANNA ZHU
Surtsey, a volcanic island 32 km off Iceland’s south coast, has been protected from human interference since its formation (1963–67). Serving as a natural laboratory, it provides long-term insights into the colonization of new land by plant and animal life.
Though intended to remain untouched, researchers enter the island each summer, paradoxically disrupting its isolation. This book reflects that contradiction through French fold pages—where text remains hidden between photographic spreads—accessible only by tearing the seam, symbolizing irreversible human interference. The shifting page sizes mimic the island’s natural erosion, ending in uniform pages that mirror its current delicate balance between erosion and plant colonization.