Theoretical Texts

Tehran Times : Capitalism is destroying the ecosystem: Ahmadinejad

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For those of us living with western news media who’s narrative of Iran is terrorism and nuclear armament, this article provides a different perspective.  Who do you believe?

Wetlands are a key component of the matrix of biodiversity, often massively impacted on by industrial production, and also the key focus of many ecological remediation/ restoration projects, and of key ecoart projects internationally (e.g. the Harrisons’ Sava River work, Betsy Damon’s Keepers of the Waters projects, Aviva Rahmani’s Ghostnets project, Shai Zakai’s projects in Israel, PLATFORM’s Remember Saro-Wiwa campaign for social and environmental justice raising questions of responsibility for the desolation of the Niger Delta, etc.

ecoartscotland is a resource focused on art and ecology for artists, curators, critics, commissioners as well as scientists and policy makers. It includes ecoartscotland papers, a mix of discussions of works by artists and critical theoretical texts, and serves as a curatorial platform.

It has been established by Chris Fremantle, producer and research associate with On The Edge Research, Gray’s School of Art, The Robert Gordon University. Fremantle is a member of a number of international networks of artists, curators and others focused on art and ecology.

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Tim Morton

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Tim Morton, Author of Ecology Without Nature and The Ecological Thought, maintains a blog on eco-criticism.  Recent posts have focused on drama including thoughts about plays, and drama as an ecological form.

He also podcasts an evolving lecture Hyperobjects, and has excellent links to other writers on eco-criticism.

ecoartscotland is a resource focused on art and ecology for artists, curators, critics, commissioners as well as scientists and policy makers. It includes ecoartscotland papers, a mix of discussions of works by artists and critical theoretical texts, and serves as a curatorial platform.

It has been established by Chris Fremantle, producer and research associate with On The Edge Research, Gray’s School of Art, The Robert Gordon University. Fremantle is a member of a number of international networks of artists, curators and others focused on art and ecology.

Go to EcoArtScotland

Values of Environmental Writing – Welcome

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There are at least three research networks looking at environmental and cultural issues currently meeting in programmes of workshops.

CORE, the research network on Creative Research and the Environment, was launched last week in the Art Space Nature rooms at Edinburgh College of Art.  This network spans fine art and landscape architecture and is linked with a larger research project on Antarctic Earth Sciences. Post on launch.

Reflecting on Environmental Change through Site Based Performance held its second meeting in Glasgow a couple of weeks ago.  Post of notes from that meeting.

Values of Environmental Writing Research Network takes its cue from Robert Macfarlane’s 2009 comment, “Many of the new activists are young, and a significant number are recent graduates, emerging from universities across Britain and moving immediately into environmental action.  It would be fascinating to know what literary works have shaped the message and medium of their politics…”

ecoartscotland is a resource focused on art and ecology for artists, curators, critics, commissioners as well as scientists and policy makers. It includes ecoartscotland papers, a mix of discussions of works by artists and critical theoretical texts, and serves as a curatorial platform.

It has been established by Chris Fremantle, producer and research associate with On The Edge Research, Gray’s School of Art, The Robert Gordon University. Fremantle is a member of a number of international networks of artists, curators and others focused on art and ecology.

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Teaneck Creek – Artists’ Projects

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Lynn Hull, Migration Mileposts, 2004

Rick Mills, Professor of Printmaking at Long Island University, is also artist in residence at the Teaneck Creek Conservancy and through this has developed a programme of art and education.  He has involved a range of artists with environmental/ecological practices, as well as work with children and young people in local schools. Using resources of the site, both natural and man-made (a significant amount of concrete from roadworks was at some point dumped in the Conservancy) the site now demonstrates their motto: Where nature, history and art come full circle.

Works address the specificity of the local (Ariane Burgess’ Turtle Peace Labyrinth) as well as the larger landscape of migration (Lynn Hull’s graphic work highlighting the origins and destinations of birds migrating through Teaneck Creek).  They reference other artists working in natural contexts (Mills homage to Ian Hamilton Finlay), as well as the issues of sustainability (Eduardo Rabel’s mural project). 

ecoartscotland is a resource focused on art and ecology for artists, curators, critics, commissioners as well as scientists and policy makers. It includes ecoartscotland papers, a mix of discussions of works by artists and critical theoretical texts, and serves as a curatorial platform.

It has been established by Chris Fremantle, producer and research associate with On The Edge Research, Gray’s School of Art, The Robert Gordon University. Fremantle is a member of a number of international networks of artists, curators and others focused on art and ecology.

Go to EcoArtScotland

Gaia Cabinet in Liverpool

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The Gaia Project in Liverpool created the Gaia Cabinet as an informal working and interaction space during the Liverpool Biennial.  Featuring work by a number of artists including James Brady, David Haley, Anne Earnshaw and Rebecca McKnight, to name a few.

Brady focused on dead leaves and leaf mould,

David Haley often writes on walls,

Anne Earnshaw’s images of water,

Rebecca McKnight’s exploration of food chains,

All images are from the Gaia Project web site.

ecoartscotland is a resource focused on art and ecology for artists, curators, critics, commissioners as well as scientists and policy makers. It includes ecoartscotland papers, a mix of discussions of works by artists and critical theoretical texts, and serves as a curatorial platform.

It has been established by Chris Fremantle, producer and research associate with On The Edge Research, Gray’s School of Art, The Robert Gordon University. Fremantle is a member of a number of international networks of artists, curators and others focused on art and ecology.
Go to EcoArtScotland

Scottish Ecological Design Association

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SEDA was formed in 1991 and aims to promote good ecological design across a wide range of built environment and social contexts.  They provide advice on specific issues such as construction for deconstruction and chemicals in buildings.  They support the education of children and young people as well as advising government on policy.

ecoartscotland is a resource focused on art and ecology for artists, curators, critics, commissioners as well as scientists and policy makers. It includes ecoartscotland papers, a mix of discussions of works by artists and critical theoretical texts, and serves as a curatorial platform.

It has been established by Chris Fremantle, producer and research associate with On The Edge Research, Gray’s School of Art, The Robert Gordon University. Fremantle is a member of a number of international networks of artists, curators and others focused on art and ecology.
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CORE

Image from Elizabeth Ogilvie's website

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Edinburgh College of Art launches its Creative Research into the Environment on Thurs 3rd March 2011 in the Evolution Building.  There will be presentations from 3-5pm followed by refreshments. Key members are artists Elizabeth Ogilvie & Anne Bevan, and landscape architects Ross Mclean & Lisa Mackenzie.

Elizabeth Ogilvie contributes regularly to ECA’s Art, Space, Nature course which is featured in our Study section, and Donald Urquhart, one of the co-directors of the course, is featured in our Artists section.

Information on CORE on the Climate Histories website.

ecoartscotland is a resource focused on art and ecology for artists, curators, critics, commissioners as well as scientists and policy makers. It includes ecoartscotland papers, a mix of discussions of works by artists and critical theoretical texts, and serves as a curatorial platform.

It has been established by Chris Fremantle, producer and research associate with On The Edge Research, Gray’s School of Art, The Robert Gordon University. Fremantle is a member of a number of international networks of artists, curators and others focused on art and ecology.
Go to EcoArtScotland

Going Green

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Julie’s Bicycle just launched a publication, developed with the Mayor of London and Frieze Art Fair, on the visual arts.  This is one of a series of ‘how to’ guides across artforms.

Starting with work in 2007 that looked at the Greenhouse Gas emissions of the UK Music Industry, Julie’s Bicycle has researched and produced guides on CD Packaging, Audience Travel to Festivals, Performing Arts Touring, as well as Promos and Green Riders.

All organisations should be looking seriously at these issues, not only in terms of management of buildings, but also management of programming.  Whilst the recent glut of plays about climate change may have been met with some criticism, there are artists making interesting work focused on environmental crisis across all artforms.  The question in the end is whether this is didactic or whether it opens up dialogue.

ecoartscotland is a resource focused on art and ecology for artists, curators, critics, commissioners as well as scientists and policy makers. It includes ecoartscotland papers, a mix of discussions of works by artists and critical theoretical texts, and serves as a curatorial platform.

It has been established by Chris Fremantle, producer and research associate with On The Edge Research, Gray’s School of Art, The Robert Gordon University. Fremantle is a member of a number of international networks of artists, curators and others focused on art and ecology.
Go to EcoArtScotland

Uist Eco Film Festival

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This collaboration between Sustainable Uist and Taigh Chearsabhagh Arts Centre, Lochmaddy, promises a weekend of challenging and interesting films April 29 – May 1, 2011.  Taigh Chearsabhagh is the excellent gallery, arts centre and cultural hub on the very most western edge of Europe (the outer Hebrides).

Recommendations I received recently include Gasland and Home (other suggestions?).

But programming a film festival? Greenpeace actions off youTube?  Or Wall-E, The Day After Tomorrow, Avatar?  An Inconvenient Truth: is it too tired?.  Looking forward to hearing their choices.

Film, environmental activism, greenwash: discuss.

website: http://www.facebook.com/?sk=lf#!/UistEcoFilmFestival?v=wall.

ecoartscotland is a resource focused on art and ecology for artists, curators, critics, commissioners as well as scientists and policy makers. It includes ecoartscotland papers, a mix of discussions of works by artists and critical theoretical texts, and serves as a curatorial platform.

It has been established by Chris Fremantle, producer and research associate with On The Edge Research, Gray’s School of Art, The Robert Gordon University. Fremantle is a member of a number of international networks of artists, curators and others focused on art and ecology.

Go to EcoArtScotland

O Donald Trump, Woe Donald Trump

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“It is not an art poem. It is a bardic declamation coming out of a tradition that speaks social truth direct to power – hot, rough, and on the hoof.”

O Donald Trump, Woe Donald Trump, from Alastair McIntosh to Donald Trump on a personal basis, published on Bella Caledonia, an online magazine exploring ideas of independence, self-determination and autonomy.

It starts,

O Donald Trump
It was my own old mother’s taxi driver
on the Isle of Lewis
who said he lives next
to your old mother’s house
on the Isle of Lewis
That made me think
how close we are
being separated by
just two mothers
and one Stornoway taxi

more…

For those of you who don’t know, Donald Trump, of Trump Towers, etc., wants to create a major new Trump branded golf and leisure resort at Menie in Aberdeenshire dispossessing locals and over-running a site of special scientific interest.

ecoartscotland is a resource focused on art and ecology for artists, curators, critics, commissioners as well as scientists and policy makers. It includes ecoartscotland papers, a mix of discussions of works by artists and critical theoretical texts, and serves as a curatorial platform.

It has been established by Chris Fremantle, producer and research associate with On The Edge Research, Gray’s School of Art, The Robert Gordon University. Fremantle is a member of a number of international networks of artists, curators and others focused on art and ecology.

Go to EcoArtScotland