Please take a look at my video appeal for funding this years project plans which I am working towards taking place in May and June on the north west coast. I am trying to raise £200 more by next Saturday 22nd March to reach my target of £1,000. To see more details and donate click on:
http://www.sponsume.com/project/littoral-sci-art-project-2014
Please pass on the link, there will be original relief prints as rewards for donations. Thank you to everyone who has already donated!
After the excitement of illuminating the plastic litter issue which is happening on our beaches, for the TEDx University of Edinburgh audience I am now head down working out how to make my 2014 Littoral plans happen.
All my thinking and notes lead back to the need to raise funds in order to make to following happen:
Hence my big sponsorship request which I have set up with Sponsume an on line crowd funding site, the link below leads you to my video appeal and details of what you will be funding and the relief prints I will be making and offering as rewards for donations. Please pass the link on to anyone you think might be interested. Any other ideas of how/where t raise funding would be much appreciated.
http://www.sponsume.com/project/littoral-sci-art-project-2014
…..in Abundance, in the company of 350 people attending the TEDx* talks on Friday at the University Edinburgh.
My contribution was to create an installation to spark discussion and catalyse debate about Scotland’s problem of beach litter
Talk attendees were asked to follow the sound of the sea to find the installation, along the way passing statements about the condition of the beaches and litter found. Reaching the installation room they were asked to Enter, Consider and Respond – by tweeting a picture and comment. On entering the room the viewer was confronted by a collage of projected images of seemingly massive floating plastic bottles which emanated from seven overhead projectors positioned throughout the room . Participants were encouraged to walk around, reposition bottles on the projectors and to ask questions about the issue. Many engaging in discussion with me about the major part that plastics plays in the problem.
A display of a few of the ‘future fossils’ helped to introduce the issue of the longevity of the litter problem and my new crowd funding appeal video gave an on the beach background to the project. In the centre of the floor a 1 metre square was marked out with plastic drinks bottles I had recently found in a similar area on a beach last month , bottles like the ones we use everyday for 5 minutes which might have contained water, juice, coke …. prompting the question why are we using bottles made of a material that lasts up to 1,000+years when the contents are drunk in a few minutes ? Prompting comments like:
It’s not even good for you to drink out of ta plastic bottle!!
Where does what you drop end up? Here One day the ocean will throw it all back at us
We’re paying today the price for a mind set from a time when environmentalism still didn’t exist in our vocabularies
Make rubbish valuable e.g. non throwaway bottles.
There needs to be an incentive to recycle. For example in Scandinavia you’re charged 20c per bottle if you return it , you’re given money back. In my time living in Finland I didn’t once see bottles lying around.
Please comment on the installation and the event
* TEDx is designed to give communities, organizations and individuals the opportunity to stimulate dialogue through TED-like experiences at the local level. TED’s mission is to freely promote “ideas worth spreading”. TED Technology, Education, Design. Talks are offered for free viewing on line in 2012 TED Talks had been watched one billion times worldwide
As I head North again through a submerged southern English landscape which is still suffering from this winters Extreme Weather events, I took time this weekend to stop off and join the Oxford Climate Forum an annual student led conference which provided a platform for a wide range of passionate expert speakers under the banner ‘Climate Change: An Opportunity’. Their goal like mine through the Littoral art project being to inspire people to play a role in the solution of tackling and mitigating the connected problems of beach litter pollution and Climate Change
The speakers from across the world and across the disciplines put forward evidence to show that Climate Change is a concern and opportunity for everyone to be looking to solve. The keynote speech from Dipal Barua was wonderful example of on the ground positive action of affordable solar power being able to improve living conditions of rural communities by providing electricity at the same time as cutting Green House Gas emissions kerosene lamps, plus the benefits of rural employment in the support training for solar maintenance engineers particularly for Women. The Bright Green Energy Foundation by putting into place affordable financing system means that by 2013 2.8million Solar Home Systems had been installed in Bangladesh in remote areas, their aim is to provide 50% population with polar power by 2020 becoming the first Solar Nation!
This amazing story was followed by an Energy Panel consisting a group of experts who are engaged in researching areas of energy generation methods, applications, demands, efficiency and sustainability, each gave their view of the energy situation in the wealthy nations. They agreed that the potential of solar power in the UK could only predictably play a very small role, renewable energy was seen as a smart but at the moment having only a small impact, with most power still coming from fossil and nuclear fuels. Points of consensus on the production side included the need to capture emissions, invest in better grid systems, invest in efficient power storage , integrate power sources and improve long term financing systems . On the demand side Dr Nick Eyre made a strong argument for social change as a means to reduce energy consumption as individual households consume 50% of energy used in Europe & the US. The biggest reduction in demand for energy so far has been attributed to energy saving light bulb measures! Another positive example of the effectiveness of social change has been seen in London with the introduction of congestion charges and improved public transport, a comparison of city commutes found that the cost of the per capita commute was of emissions was 50% less than in any other city!
The need to reduce the energy consumption of transport was highlighted many times by many contributors’ throughout the forum, with David Buckland (artist) sharing the disturbing grim details of the US’s daily consumption of fuel being 400,000,000 gallons with the added details that most of the energy in cars and vans is spent moving the vehicle and not the person .
Buckland is the founder and director of the Cape Farewell project which has immersed scientists and artists for over a decade in environments threatened in by climate change. Having recently visited Cape Farewell’s Seachange (Tionndadh na Mara in Gaelic) exhibition at the Edinburgh Botanics which celebrated the work of 30 artists and scientists who worked collaboratively and independently to consider the relationships between people, place and resources in the context of climate change on the Western Isles from Mull and the Small Isles, Skye and the Inner and Outer Hebrides to St Kilda, Lewis, Rona and the Shiants. Last year a follow up expedition to Orkney & Shetland found writer Gorm Ashurst posting a an expedition blog Nano Incursion about walking into a tiny bay on the west of Shetland. His record highlighting how even on this island with the sparsest of populations he found similar beach litter scenes to those we are familiar with on the mainland and all along the Scottish, UK and World beaches.
Buckland’s quest for founding the project was to understand and make the language of Climate Change more accessible, he and the artists that join the project expeditions create images, poetry, installations, films, stories that visualise what is happening to our climate. The artist’s work that Buckland shared in his passionate lecture was poignant, engaging and inspirational.
His own recent addition to the project being the installation of a ‘ready made’ which took the form of a combustion engine appropriately located in Texas, which brought home the significant part that this technology has in the debate . Cape Farewell with its scientific partners is presently focusing on the idea of visioning an ‘Energy Renaissance’ which develops the most efficient energy sources across the world capturing solar energy from the Sahara and distributes the power to populations through a super efficient grid. Here in the UK utilizing geothermal energy from beneath our feet and harnessing tidal energy from around the coast.
Plans for the first tidal lagoon are well underway for Swansea Bay, the vision being for the lagoon to generate electricity, and to be a conservation and cultural resource. It is estimated that five tidal lagoons around the UK could by 2018-25 produce 10% of the UK’s energy. Such bold projects in tandem with better transport systems and changes in social habits that reduce the demand for more energy would indeed be a great start to an Energy Renaissance.
From this talk in particular and from the many other fascinating contributions I have broadened my knowledge and understanding of Climate Change and topped up my own power store of enthusiasm. With which I intend to develop my practice as an artist working to inspire others about the issue of beach litter and our need to change our social habits that are its cause. I hope to share more of the CF contributions in future posts .
On a rare trip down south I am taking time to see what’s happening on the beaches of Dorset. After months of storms, rain and flooding the access to most beaches is tricky but what I am finding out after sliding onto the rocks and sand is both sobering and hopeful with interesting positive initiatives.
While there was only limited access to the beach at Kimmeridge Bay due to minimal low tides and the Dorset firing range flags flying I was still able to see that stony strandline under the cliff edge was punctuated with dense knots of tangled line, rope and rubber strips presumably originating from fishing gear The knots ranged from 30cm -1.5m across, big objects to be floating in the sea and to be hauled off the beaches by volunteers.
Kimmeridge is fortunate to be home to the Purbeck Marine Wildlife Centre (run by the Dorset Wildlife Trust) which promotes active beach cleaning and creative ways to recycle the bigger lengths of fishing gear washed up by selling them (nets & bouys) to visitors to decorate their garages and garden sheds.
Both Kimmeridge and Swanage Bay beaches plus several other smaller ones I visited have adopted the Sea Clean initiative of installing simple pipe bins to encourage beach goers to collect the thousands of metres of plastic fishing line littering the beaches. I found Swanage Sailing club beach approximately 100m long littered with tens of smashed lobster pots and the ubiquitous plastic bottles. Feeling shocked and saddened I was happy to hear that the beach is also home to a large variety of seaweeds which I will go back to take a closer look at.
Chapmans Pool between Swanage and Kimmeridge proved the trickiest decent yet and an an even harder ascent several hours later. The continuing winter storms have washed that idea clear away as I look along the volume of litter that is backed up along the slipway wall I feel that drowning feeling I first felt on Altandu beach on the Ross-shire coast, when I made my decision to somehow address this issue began.
Plastic bottles … How many bottles can be washed up onto 1 sq m of beach? On this day on this beach I have counted 23 besides all the other things.
2014 is looking to be an exciting year for my Littoral project, building on last year’s research on the beaches around Ullapool.
I will soon be setting up an interactive installation for the Edinburgh TED talks on the 21st February. Conference goers will be invited to engage with beach litter objects and leave suggestions of how to address the issue in my ever increasing collection of plastic bottles. Their messages will be shared on line.
In spring I intend to begin cleaning and cataloguing the ‘litter fossils’ found on beaches in Ross-shire with residents and pupils last autumn to create a Future Fossil Collection for display in the Ullapool Museum and to other finds and works around the town.
In the first week of June (following on from the exhibition) I will be leading what I hope will be a high profile beach litter investigation and clean up on a remote beach along the Ross-shire coast inspired by comments of Ullapool resident John Mcintyre ‘The problem is not only on the far side of the world where we are almost powerless to solve it, but here, where we can solve it now.’
After the survey and mapping the collected litter will be turned into sculptural ‘litter rafts’ to be towed by skiffs and sailing crafts to the nearest landing point, and collected by Highland Council Recycling Team. I will follow the recycling outcomes of the materials collected and post the outcomes.
Needless to say this is going to take lots of organisation, volunteers and of course some funding. So please keep following the blog for news and ways to help. Happy New Year !
As the year comes to a close I have been taking stock of the littoral project to see what has been achieved.
My personal highlights included:
Setting up a studio at An talla Solais in Ullapool, meeting tens of people in the area concerned with the litter on the beaches . Learning about litter on the beaches in Ullapool with Dougie Mac Crimmond. Finding a beach with very little rubbish on it Achnahaird. Hearing that two oranges launched along the coast had been tracked by residents. Sharing my discoveries with people e.g. the types of litter found, magnifying the fragments of litter found on the beach and the harm they can cause, understanding the longevity of the litter items dropped and washed up.
The ‘future fossil’ hunt and examination on the beaches showed me how the chilling issue of how long litter might last in the environment can be approached in an imaginative way. Pupils comments and shock that a plastic bag on the beach might last until they (primary children) where grown up and had children and that a plastic bottle might be around longer than their children certainly was obviously provoking thought for both them and me .
Other peoples comments:
The pupils loved the stone hunt and the ‘future fossil’ idea and it really caught their imagination. This was a highly creative way to stimulate thoughtful discussion of the issues around marine pollution.It stimulated discussion around how our beach litter will take many many years to decompose. Lesley Strachan, Head of Art, Ullapool High School
Julia Barton and the littoral art project engaged with all those who encountered her and her work. Whether through her workshops – the printmaking workshop at ATS was keenly attended – through her displays or involvement with the local schools and organisations her art and message is clear, welcoming, inclusive, thought provoking extremely relevant, fun and educational. S Garnett ATS events co-ordinator
…that plastic bag could still be here when I’m married … ugh…the bottles have to go at the end of the line ….they could be around thousands of years?……where do we put paper on the line? It doesn’t take long to rot…let’s put it near to us…….2013 Lochinver School Pupil
‘I think having the different aspects – scientific survey, investigation and creative elements – meant that it appealed to many different people. It was certainly successful in highlighting the issue of beach litter.’ V Halcrow, Project Manager Coigach – Assynt Living Landscape
I It’s important to show ‘everyone can do something’ by setting an example cleaning beach we can encourage others to join in Jean Urquart MSP
It’s great having new energy in Ullapool – it helps the many people concerned about the marine environment and the pollution that is threatening it. So many local people clean the beaches near to us, so having you drawing attention to the state of the beaches is really helpful. Ailsa resident. (marine biologist)
Thanks for making me more aware of the horrible amounts of litter we see along our beautiful coastline. Ann Hoffmann resident
My question is now how should the project move forward?
Where did the strange rocks on the beach appear from ?
The tens of ‘stones/rocks’ found on the beaches at Lochinver, Achiltibuie and Ullapool where cast by me at the Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop, using plaster each containing a different object/s which came from the beaches I placed them on.
Each ‘stone’ was shaped in clay and cast in two halves to ensure we could open them to reveal the ‘fossils’.
The process of discovering and examining the stones certainly focused attention on the type of materials that litter the beaches. Each beach litter fossil was discussed and identification notes made: i.e. material, location found, estimated date it could be found if left on the beach e.g. plasic rope 2413, aluminium container 2213, cigarettes with plastic filters 2033, plastic carrier bags 2053, glass bottles ……
The full Littoral Future Fossil collection will be on show in the spring along with prints, installations of timelines and littoral art project products such as postcards, posters and mugs …..a whole new range of holiday memorabilia with an underlying message, don’t leave anything behind on the beaches, take care of our beautiful fragile environments.
My investigation into beach litter around Ullapool and beaches along the Coigach and Assynt coast this autumn was completed this week . An Investigation Exhibit is now on show at the Macphail Centre, displaying evidence of various types of litter found including a selection of ‘future fossils’ under magnification and specimen bottles ready for analysis to determine the type of plastic they are made from and how long they would last in the marine environment. I am intending to show all our findings and resulting artworks as a temporary installation at the Ullapool Museum and in a range of locations throughout the town in spring.
Arriving back at the A.T.S laboratory a closer examination began with a significant help from Portfolio Students studying at An Talla Solais . The largest stone appears to hold a cross section of all the objects we are likely to find on nearby beaches.
Tobacco pouch, plastic bag, rope, cotton wool bud sticks. …..
The initial job of cataloging this weeks finds of our ‘ future fossils’ is now underway with samples being subject to identification, to ascertain its possible origin followed by magnification, to establish the category of material such as polypropylene or polyethylene which helps to determine the timeline of the object.
Specimens which cannot be identified are being boxed up and sent to the expedition consultant Professor Cowie at the Millport for further analysis. It is hoped that the full picture of what we have discovered this week will be revealed in the spring. Until then an initial display of the finds made along the coast over the past week can be seen at the Macphail Centre in Ullapool.
littoral: sci-art project 
