the galápagos islands are perhaps most famous for the key role they played in the work of british naturalist charles darwin. the archipelago’s remarkable biodiversity was instrumental in the development of darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection, first presented in his 1859 book, “on the origin of species.” 

to this day, the galápagos islands are admired for their scientific legacy — but conservation on the islands is a project that extends far beyond the sciences. for many creatives living on the archipelago, creating, sharing, and teaching art has become another form of ecological stewardship. 

growing up galapagueño: living and learning among nature

during an expedition to the galápagos in july 2025 with national geographic-lindblad expeditions and planet forward, i had the opportunity to connect with iván vasquez, a naturalist guide and the voyage’s certified photography instructor. vasquez is also a multidisciplinary artist who has extensive experience in a variety of mediums including video, photography, music, and painting.

growing up on san cristobal island in the galápagos, vasquez developed a strong connection to nature at an early age. his community was small, safe, and — of course — teeming with fascinating wildlife. as such, was able to follow his curiosities and engage with the natural world independently. 

“i think there’s something very special about growing up in a place like this — a small place where you have more of this feeling of safety, a little bit more freedom,” he said. “in fact, when i would come back from school, i would do my homework as quickly as i could after lunch so that i could just go and wander around on my own and with my friends.”

vasquez’s upbringing inspired a fascination with the natural world that extended far beyond the islands themselves. his interest in nature became a lens through which he viewed other places, as well. “i think that [growing up in the galápagos] gives you a natural connection to nature…. and more than connection, thinking so much about [nature] was just a normal thing… every time i went to the mainland or to other places, i had a lot of curiosity and wanted to see more nature and contrast how it is different from where i was.” 

vasquez also grew up in a very artistic family — another element of his childhood that shaped his relationship to the environment. his father painted, while his siblings pursued various artistic passions over the years. his social circles and broader community also included many artists.

vasquez believes that his wide-ranging exposure to the arts helped to heighten his existing sensitivity to nature and his passion for conservation. “i think when it comes to the environment and caring about the environment… i saw the animals painted on the walls by my dad from an early age — or going out with paper and pencils to observe them and draw them,” he said. “naturally that creates a sense of wanting to protect the place.”

this sentiment has been present in much of vasquez’s own art — particularly in his paintings, the first medium he found himself drawn to. in his realist renderings of animals and landscapes, vasquez aimed to capture and share the beauty of the archipelago with others. 

later, he became interested in music and started a band called arkabuz with several local friends. naturally, the group’s upbringing in the galápagos influenced their sound and the themes they explored in their music. one song, vive libre (“live free”) directly ties the beauty of nature to a lived sense of place. “‘vive libre’ talks about how you have so much freedom growing up here. one of the parts of the lyrics says, ‘you live in the mountains and i live in the sea, and there’s a reason to be here.’ i like that the lyrics are a lot about trying to live in harmony with the place,” he said.

in his work as a naturalist and guide with lindblad expeditions, vasquez likes to incorporate moments of stillness during hikes so that guests can silently observe and connect more deeply with the flora and fauna around them. he sees his own photography as accomplishing a similar goal: “there’s a lot that you can gain by hearing, by being present…. i hope that i get to evoke that in people through my images, through my videos.”

introducing environmental art to the next generation

before taking on his current role with lindblad in 2010, vasquez attended a photography workshop that he says motivated him to begin his career in the industry. the organizer of that workshop was josé guerrero, another photographer, galápagos resident, and lindblad expeditions naturalist guide. he has also been a photographer in the tourism industry for 12 years, focusing specifically on the interaction between people and wildlife in galápagos national park.

in addition to shedding light on important environmental topics, guerrero believes that the act of artistic creation itself is a rewarding process that anyone can participate in — a sentiment that guides his practice of teaching photography to others. “i have also been doing art workshops and photography workshops particularly, and it’s very interesting how kids can become much more aware of the uniqueness of the place where we live once they use the camera. they realize that even the same sea lion that we see every day now looks much more interesting,” guerrero said.

as certified photography instructors, both guerrero and vasquez believe in the artform’s capacity to change one’s perspective, especially in regards to the environment. perhaps even more than looking at an affecting photograph, engaging in the creative process presents an opportunity to relate to nature in a new and intimate way. 

during our conversation, vasquez reflected on the role that photography instruction plays in lindblad expedition’s galápagos trips. while aboard the gemini, vasquez taught multiple photography workshops that introduced guests to the fundamentals of the medium and encouraged them to make use of the powerful cameras they already possessed: their smartphones.

in making photography accessible to passengers of all ages and experience levels, vasquez shared with us a new way of seeing — and caring about — the galápagos. “you can hear many talks or lectures about the environment… but when you can take a picture that evokes an emotion in somebody else and in yourself, that’s gonna probably help also,” he said.

guerrero described a similar phenomenon that he has observed in himself and in his own students. for guerrero, artistic creation invites an opportunity for contemplation and even mindfulness. “for the person who is doing art, i think there is a reflective process around it. when you try to just be in nature and get some inspiration to create any artistic outcome, you really need to be present and have a much deeper emotional connection with the place,” he said.

art, community, and conservation in the galápagos 

beyond local artists and international visitors finding inspiration in the archipelago’s natural beauty, it seems that art has become a cornerstone of many conservation efforts across communities in the galápagos. 

according to vasquez, it is imperative that locals are personally invested in the project of protecting and preserving the galápagos. one way that local organizations have attempted to bolster community engagement is through art — a project with which both vasquez and guerrero have been involved throughout their careers. 

guerrero is particularly deeply involved in cultural development in the galápagos. he is a founding member of the cultural and ecological nonprofit geco galápagos, which aims to engage the community of san cristóbal in a collective pursuit to improve the quality of life for all beings on the islands and to build a healthier environment in line with ecuador’s “good living” national framework.

geco galápagos’ work integrates environmentalism and artistic expression through a breadth of workshops hosted in schools and in the broader community: these have included theater, music, visual arts, and handicrafts, among others. from making musical instruments from recycled materials found on beaches to supporting larger environmental campaigns through artwork, guerrero’s organization has deepened students’ and locals’ involvement in a variety of local issues. although the organization has unfortunately been inactive since the pandemic due to practical constraints, guerrero looks forward its revitalization in the future.

in his other community-focused work, guerrero practices the methodology photovoice, a participatory research method that empowers communities to document and share their perspectives on critical issues. the photovoice process involves identifying an issue or issues, training a group of participants in photography skills, conducting field assignments that put these skills into practice, hosting group discussions, and eventually using the resulting work in larger advocacy campaigns. 

guerrero’s first photovoice project engaged a group of young participants in examining urban biodiversity as the central issue. after a series of group discussions, tutorials, and fieldwork, the group met with the mayor of san cristobál to present their findings, illustrated by the images they created. 

“the mayor was very open to listening to us. we discussed a lot of these topics,” guerrero said. “and although we cannot say that this particular process created one specific policy in a direct relationship… [we had] the opportunity to take the voice of the young people into local authorities…. and definitely give visibility to some of the problems that the participants were finding around this topic.” 

even still, there is evidence that guerrero’s work with the photovoice method has made a splash. “the mayor listened to us and it was clear that she put some funding, for example, in doing the rehabilitation of some beaches, or if there are sea lions or iguanas who are in areas that can be a conflict with the with the urban environment, they will work together with the galápagos national park to prevent that,” he said. 

in addition to the tangible impact that guerrero’s photovoice group has had on local ecological issues and legislation, the project’s positive impact on the participants and the broader community is evident. “the kids, in some way, got motivated, and they felt proud of showing their photos, not just to the mayor. we also did a big exhibition in town, and these photos stayed in the main interpretation center of the galápagos national park for about six months. so the photos and the results and the reflections were really visible for many other people,” guerrero said. 

in addition to empowering youth to use their voices — and cameras — to advocate for change, guerrero’s work demonstrates how art can accessibly disseminate important messages across large groups of people.

an essential tool, a deeply held tradition 

for guerrero, art is an important tool in promoting sustainability and documenting environmental stewardship on the islands and beyond. “through art, one can get inspiration to find solutions and to spread the word of the good work that has been done and the things that we need to do as local people, as a country, and even as a global society because so many people visit galápagos,” he said. “the message that we are spreading is also a way to share the message with the world that we are responsible for protecting islands and oceans, like the one we live in.”

universally created and understood, art is a deeply human tradition that can transcend linguistic, geographic, temporal, and cultural barriers. art invites us to feel, to consider new perspectives, and to look inward. these capabilities are particularly salient in the context of conservation — a truth reflected in both guerrero and vasquez’s work. 

one of vasquez’s comments during our conversation was a helpful reminder of the truly democratic nature of art. everyone has the capacity to create and, therefore, the power to share their perspectives, to inspire others, and to advocate for our shared home. 

as vasquez put it, “i think that the more we all show the beauty of this planet, regardless of where you are, even just in your backyard….  the more chances we will have to make people a little bit more aware of trying to protect the planet.”