Next Steps

Exhibitions & Public Engagement

I will present 3 exhibitions to show progress on the development of the project. The exhibitions will showcase work produced during the exploratory stages as well as presenting how the conceptual framework evolves alongside.

The exhibitions will also be an opportunity to engage with the public through video and audio displays as well as inviting people to engage with the language of nature. My idea on the latter is to display words that can be detached from a wall and re-assembled to create sentences/ short poems. I will invite people to take pictures of the short poems and share them on social media using the tag #reimaginingecosystems and #wearenature. The purpose of sharing on social platforms is to spread the word about highlighting the core concept of the project which is connection with nature primarily as well as interconnectivity among human beings within nature or with nature.

Collaborations

Costume design
The ecosystems explored throughout the project will come together through the creation of ‘wearable’ versions of land and sea in the context of Hilbre Island. The aim of this will be to ‘get in the skin’ of nature, feel the poetry through movement and spoken word, creating this way interweaved stories of the site in question with the aim to re engage the public with nature, and inspire to think differently. In order to do this, I will reach to fashion design students to collaborate on the creation of costumes for performance.

Poetry
I will also collaborate with poets who have a keen interest for ecology, with the aim of creating collaborative poetry pieces. My interest in doing this is to address common topics of interest with others, with the sole purpose of re-engaging people with nature. My ambition is to weave different perspectives on the topic of ecology and site-specific narratives, broadening end enriching the potential of the spoken word.

Workshops

Setting up workshops along the development of the project will be an opportunity to invite others to share thoughts and ideas about what nature means to them or how they choose to relate to nature.

Mind-mapping
Through mind-mapping exercises such as one I did back in March among colleagues at LJMU [link to mind-mapping session] will enable conversations and free-flow thinking. These are valuable opportunities to gain insights on what triggers connections with the land, sea and between humans.

Documenting nature
As part of the process of creating artworks about Hilbre Island (the site of enquiry I have chosen to explore human connection with nature). I have selected a series of documenting methods which I found effective to gain visual and tactile impressions of the site as well as sensory ‘impressions’.

  • Charcoal impressions
    Documenting geological patterns of the island through drawing and charcoal rubbings

  • Clay impressions
    Pressing clay on the rocks and peeling of these creates patterns that are visually intriguing as well as providing geological evidence of the rock formations

  • Audio recording
    I recorded sounds of the island throughout my walks back and forth (the island is accessible by foot on low tide – find out more here). The recorded sounds are of the steps on the sand, on mud, rocks. Sounds of birds, sounds of water.
    All these compilation of nature sounds I think are effective to create the atmosphere about the island, especially for people who can’t access it by foot.

The ‘documenting nature’ methods outlined above aim to be part of different workshops along the development of the project in order to invite people to look and feel the island.

Coming Next

Some of the workshops and activities mentioned above are part of the application for a grant for Being Human Festival 2024. These include: an ‘Impressions’ workshop which will be about documenting the geological patterns of the island through drawing, charcoal rubbings and creative writing, with group discussion at the end.

There will also be an audio-guided walk of the island (audio guide comprises a history of the island, oral histories and scientific observations). Even though attendees won’t be requested to record their own audios, the act of walking the island and hearing about its stories and histories will enable visitors to participate in the activity by looking and listening.