Specimens Celina Chien - Intersectional Environmentalist + Visual Storyteller
In episode 041 Elle chats with Celina Chien, intersectional environmentalist and storyteller. She combines her work as an ecologist, photojournalist and artist to harness empathy for change and to advocate for biodversity. Celina contextualises her work within the climate and biodiversity crises, whilst also discussing enviornmental and social issues.
As a photographer, Celina’s documentary work has focused on exploring the nuances of environmental topics from palm oil expansion to the zoo debate to the wildlife trade. She also releases her work as fine art pieces, most recently after a successful exhibition in October 2022 in support of leopard conservation with Dolce&Gabbana. This work strives to forge links between the fashion, artistic and conservation worlds with more collaborative releases to follow. In 2021, Celina placed in the prestigious 57th Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition as a highly commended finalist in the photojournalism category. She sits on the judging panel of the same competition hosted by the Natural History Museum of London in 2023.
Celina is a TEDx speaker and serves on the board and council of numerous international NGOs such as Panthera, Rewriting Extinction, Reserva Youth Land Trust, Girls Who Click and more. In 2021, Celina was a highly commended finalist in the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition and currently sits on its 2023 judging panel. She has a BSc in Biological Sciences and MRes in Tropical Forest Ecology from Imperial College London.
Celina's social links
Website: celinachien.com
Instagram: @celinaxchien
Twitter: @celinaxchien
Panthera Exhibition + Press for 'Leopard Honouring the Muse': A Celina Chien X Dolce&Gabbana Photographic Exhibition
https://panthera.org/leopard-honouring-muse
https://celinachien.sumupstore.com/product/honouring-the-muse-a-visual-companion
Reserva: The Youth Land Trust
Girls who Click
Outside reading + watching on Celina:
'In Conservation with...' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDIx65y0bVc
Wildlife Photographer of the Year - https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-nature-through-a-different-lens.html
TEDx Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRFP5SuaOB0
Women of STEM Interview - https://women-of-stem.medium.com/provoking-conservation-action-with-photography-celina-chien-19a02bd8d1bf
Article in Wild Lens Magazine - https://www.thewildlensmagazine.com/past-issues
Elle Kaye socials
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www.twitter.com/ellektaxidermy
Podcast socials
www.instagram.com/specimenspod
www.twitter.com/ellektaxidermy
www.ellekayetaxidermy.co.uk/product-page/specimenspodmerch
Artwork © 2021 Madison Erin Mayfield
www.instagram.com/madisonerinmayfield
https://twitter.com/MEMIllustration
Music
Giraffes - Harrison Amer via premiumbeat.com
Researched, edited and produced by Elle Kaye
Concept/Title © 2020 Elle Kaye