Losing a Landscape: Havant Thicket Reservoir

Research output: Published contribution to conferencePaper

Abstract

Ancient woodland and natural habitats in the United Kingdom are declining despite their vital role in tackling the ecological climate crisis. This project explores how individual creative practice can respond to this collective issue and focuses on the development of the Havant Thicket Reservoir by Portsmouth Water and Southern Water. Although the reservoir aims to relieve issues of water scarcity, the construction has destroyed over 14 hectares of irreplaceable ancient woodland and reduced the community's access to wild spaces.

Researching the impact before the start of the construction, artist and early career academic at Solent University, Frankie Knight (aka Frankie Murdoch), interviewed and photographed 11 members of the ‘Stop the Chop’ (now known as Havant Thicket for Nature) campaign group and recorded the landscape by using medium format film and developed the images using seaweed collected locally.

The project demonstrates the benefits of working in a natural environment and working with natural materials and aims to be used as an example for future projects that can help build resilience within communities against the effects of climate change.

The project can be presented as an installation of 16 A2 photographs printed on hemp paper, named after the location where they were taken using What3Words, and presented with a 7-minute audio piece that includes sounds from the landscape, clips from the interviews and music composed by Frankie Knight. The work can be viewed digitally here: https://frankieknight.photography/ and could also be presented as an individual presentation.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - 4 Sept 2024
EventMeCCSA Conference 2024 - Manchester Metropolitan University Business School, Manchester, United Kingdom
Duration: 4 Sept 20246 Sept 2024
https://www.schoolofdigitalarts.mmu.ac.uk/events/meccsa-conference-2024/

Conference

ConferenceMeCCSA Conference 2024
Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
CityManchester
Period4/09/246/09/24
Internet address

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