Biologist E O Wilson suggested that ‘biophilia’ describes ‘the connections that human beings subconsciously seek with the rest of life’. Rooted in our evolutionary history, biophilia acknowledges our deep seated connection with the natural world and an innate affinity for other living organisms.

’Biophilia’ transcends the boundaries of reality to paint fictional images of imagined wildlife, illuminating the expanding gulf between humanity and the natural world. Using existing artworks as reference points, portraits are created with added ‘hallucinations’ and hyperreal colour, blending the artists practice with machine learning. The resulting images comprise approximations and distorted images of wild animals which act as visual metaphors for our increasingly distant relationship with the animal kingdom. In turn, they highlight our own biophilia, a sense of loss and longing for reconnection.

Jim Naughten is an artist exploring environmental, historical and natural history subject matter using stereoscopy, photography, painting and ai. He was awarded a painting scholarship to Lancing College and later studied photography at the Arts Institute of Bournemouth (both in the UK). Naughten’s work has been widely featured in exhibitions across Europe and the US and includes solo shows at the Wellcome collection, Horniman and Imperial War Museums and group shows at the Royal Academy of Art and National Portrait Galleries in London .