Working at contemporary visual art projects over the last decade, I have been collecting ideas and often thinking about whether contemporary art has a role or means to engage with ecological issues.
My involvement on an environmental tree project in Ireland in 1996-7 prior to going to art college for 6 years, my past work as a scientist, bird counting on an unpeopled atoll in the Pacific and recent voluntary work for a local community Green Party have all effected my ongoing work and concerns.
I have literally stumbled across what little information their is about contemporary art and ecology projects. It appears to be unexplored territory by many creative types, even though daily headlines have us all thinking about climate change etc. Historically our creative people have always reflected and being part of how society constructs its relationship with the natural world. Perhaps our art teaching institutions and exhibition spaces are too distanced from these type of concerns? Or is it that much of society is distanced from relating and understanding our dependence on our fragile and limited natural world? Maybe new artistic strategies are needed? And is contemporary art relevant to the average person these days ?
Anyway, a tree project that I revisited in 2005, ‘the local project’, gave me another chance to engage with these questions. Strategies I developed and struggled with, discovered more by chance than by foreword planning, were surprisingly positive.
My ecoart thoughts and experiments needed a home so hence the idea for this blog. I often find I am trying to write my way through understanding my practice (yes, generally a very muddled experience). I also know there must be more people out there who are working in this area as I have been inspired to continue by others.
Generally I believe creative practitioners can make valued contributions, working alongside scientists, educators, forestors – projects that involve whole communities will undoubtedly be the ones that will inspire us the most!
Love to hear from you
Cathy
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