Deep Echology

This paper examines the interplay of repetition, space, and time in the photography of An-My Lê, focusing primarily on her series Small Wars and 29 Palms. Lê’s work examines the intersection of human violence, memory, and the environment, particularly through the lens of diaspora and trauma. The paper introduces the concept of “deep echology,” a term that describes Lê’s engagement with ecological principles and her illumination of the echoes of past conflicts in contemporary settings. “Deep echology” helps make visible the multiple layers on which Lê works, blending historical realities, staged reenactments, and contemporary military activities to reflect critically on human violence and its ecological impacts. Taken as a whole, Lê’s work raises profound questions about representations of history, memory, and the dichotomy between humanity and nature. Her photography is more than visual documentation. It represents a space of convergence that echoes traumas of the past to inform contemporary ecological and political discourses.