Mo Ganji: Risiocnemis Damselfly | Risiocnemis-Azurjungfer | Risiocnemis seidenschwarzi | No. 183/250 from work group 8/99

Risiocnemis Damselfly | Risiocnemis-Azurjungfer | Risiocnemis seidenschwarzi

Mo Ganji directs his attention toward the Risiocnemis damselfly — a small freshwater insect associated with forest streams — by letting the single line move toward concentration rather than depiction. The line gathers the being into a reduced presence, withholding motion, delicacy and ornament so that what remains is a quiet core. In Ganji’s sense, the line is not fixed to the insect alone; it remains open, reminding us that every form is also a conceptual assignment rather than a final truth.

Risiocnemis seidenschwarzi is listed as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List. Endemic to a very limited area in the Philippines, the species is known from only a small number of localities. Its survival is closely tied to intact forested stream systems, making it highly sensitive to environmental change.

The principal threats include deforestation, degradation of freshwater habitats, pollution, and disturbance of streamside vegetation. Because damselflies rely on clean, stable aquatic environments for both larval and adult stages, even subtle alterations to water quality or flow can disrupt their life cycle. The species’ narrow range further amplifies vulnerability.

Ganji’s single line opens a space in which the damselfly can be encountered beyond fragility or scale. It allows attention to rest on a life bound to clarity and flow, suggesting how beings dependent on precise conditions often disappear not through spectacle, but through the quiet loss of balance in places rarely noticed until they no longer sustain life.