Being Human Festival 2024
The Ecologies of Hilbre Island - A Creative Expedition.
As part of a grant application to be part of Being Human Festival, to be held in November 2024, the concept of ‘being human’ is re-visited, re-imagined. To understand what being human means, involves appreciating that us, as humans, we are not isolated entities, but part of the whole of nature. With this in mind, we come together as a multidisciplinary team to apply for this national festival that celebrates exactly that, being human.
Following this year’s festival theme ‘Landmarks’ and a historical milestone that shaped our world
It has been 165 years since Charles Darwin published ‘On the Origin of Species’; a landmark text in evolutionary biology. To mark this occasion, we are applying as a multidisciplinary group of lecturers, researchers, artists and students to invite the public to join us on an expedition to Hilbre Island, a landmark in the river Dee estuary and our ‘Galapagos’ in the North West of England. We embark on a creative investigation of the island’s ecologies through storytelling, observational drawing, poetry and performance, looking closely at how the land, sea and humans interconnect.
The aim of the proposed event
The project aims to link people with Hilbre island as a site of Special Scientific Interest and eroding landmark, with the aim to amplify local voices. We want participants to feel that their experience/knowledge is welcomed and encourage more endemic knowledge sharing between the local community and research groups; focusing on place-based activities that give people the tools to undertake their own creative investigations. Legacy artworks (2D prints and QR codes to audio guides) will be produced before/during/after the event and will be installed on Hilbre Island for all, with smaller artwork reproductions posted to attendees after the event.
Outline of the research behind our proposal for the event
With Hilbre island noted to succumb to coastal erosion in approximately 100 years, it an important yet transient landmark. This event is part the wider practice-led research project ‘Re-Imagining Ecosystems’ that documents Hilbre Island’s ecologies and histories. ‘The Three Ecologies’ by Felix Guattari influences the concept of ecosystem and its boundaries. Hilbre’s ecologies: human (us), water (sea) and land (rock formations) will be observed, recorded and investigated, through oral histories, poetry, drawing and performance, leading to the documentation of Hilbre’s ecosystem and contemplation about our symbiotic relationship with the island through beneficial exchange.
Overview of activities for our proposed event
The beginning of a creative expedition
Access to Hilbre island is via a walked pilgrimage across the mudflats of the Dee estuary from West Kirby, much like expeditions undertaken by 'gentleman explorers' such as Charles Darwin during the Victorian era. Attendees will observe, document, connect with and contribute to Hilbre island as a physical and community landmark. As a tidal location, attendees will be introduced to the day on the Wirral mainland, then walk to the island and spend approx. 4 hours on the island itself, before returning.
Audio-guided tour
Walking to and upon arrival at the island, attendees will listen to an audio guide, which comprises a history of the island, oral histories from local residents.
Observing and documenting nature
Attendees will choose to take part in one of two workshops that observe and document Hilbre. Creative writing and charcoal rubbings will record the island’s geology and generate a ‘mapping’ of the island’s geological history. A field sketching workshop will identify species of migrating birds visiting the island, before drawing an evolutionary(phylogenetic) tree.
Poetry performance
Finally, a poetry performance based on collected oral histories and poetry, will be performed in a costume that turns a performer into the native sea lavender. Through costume design, movement and spoken word, the island will speak.
The multidisciplinary team involved for this event:
• Mark Roughley (Principal Investigator) – Reader in Interdisciplinary Practice, and an art-science researcher leading the event
• Dominic Wilkinson (Co-investigator) – Principal Lecturer in Architecture developing an Art, Science and Sustainability research centre on Hilbre Island and co-leading the event
• Helen Tookey (Reader in Creative Writing) – supervising the production of the poetry
• Jay Hampton (Co-investigator) – a Nature Artist developing and leading workshops, and producing legacy artworks
• Luciana Hermida (MA Art in Science student and artist) – developing audio tour and workshops, and producing legacy artworks
• Yvonne Reddick (poet) – performing the poetry performance
• Creative Writing student (chosen through an open call) – writing poetry for the audio guide and performances
• Fashion Design student (chosen through an open call) – developing costumes for the poetry performance
• Matt Thomas (Ranger for Hilbre Island) – transporting equipment, and people if required, to the island, health and safety support, tour guidance
