The Earth Issue 002

IMPACT

FE AT URING Toca do Coelho, CLOAAT, Hempen, Zaria Forman, NEVERCREW, Jason deCaires Taylor, Victoria Fuller, Martyna Wójcik-Śmierska, Aloha Bonser Shaw, Carlos Jiménez, Andres Donadio, and Jonas Marguet.

Editors In Chief Elena Cremona Maela Ohana

Designer

Editors’ Letter

Impact

Dipo Kayode-Osi

Contributors Aloha Bonser Shaw, Andrés Donadio Carlos Jiménez CLOAAT Hempen Jason deCaires Taylor Jonas Marguet Martyna Wójcik-Śmierska NEVERCREW Toca do Coelho, Victoria Fuller Zaria Forman Joana Sequeira Leah Abraham Niels Carlyle Matthieu Lavanchy Benjamin Eagle Patrick Roberts Tomoki Yamauchi Victoria Fuller Elizabeth Fleur Willis

Cover Image Zaria Forman

Contents Image Martyna Wójcik-Śmierska

Print Inquiries elena@theearthissue.com

Web Inquiries elena@theearthissue.com

Advertising Inquiries hello@thearchivecollective.com

Our second issue unpacks two forms of “impact”: both the positive and negative traces left by humanity on its natural environment in the context of the anthropocene, and the possibilities for environmentalist impact at the conjunction of art and activism.

As media consumption becomes increasingly fragmented, divisive, and delivered in indigestible portions of scrolling, statistics, news and op-eds, the simple act of switching off and pulling back from public discourse presents itself as an attractive alternative to the political fray. If there’s one thing we’ve learnt from our interviews with artists and ecologists while putting together this issue, it’s this: the most effective breed of environmentalism starts at home, so to speak, in cultivating a personal philosophy centered around applied ecology and purpose-driven, conscious engagement with one’s environment.

In his essay, Dark Ecology, Paul Kingsnorth proposes a list of solutions that would “not be a waste of time” when it comes to conservation, and they are all rooted at the individual, practical level.

Withdrawing: to “allow yourself to sit back quietly and feel, intuit, working out what is right for you and what nature might need from you.” Rewilding land, planting a garden, creating places or networks that act as refuges, getting your hands dirty, grounding yourself in things and places, remembering that everything has intrinsic value, beyond utility, sitting on grass, touching a tree, walking into the hills, marvelling at “what the hell this thing called life could possible be..”

Over the course of this issue, we chose to steer clear of doomsday perspectives and to instead address the many inspiring ways in which creative individuals or micro-communities are shaping a more harmonious connection with the natural world.

Chapter One, I Planted a Seed, looks at grassroot models for sustainable living in three countries - Portugal, India, and England. Creative thinkers and environmentalists have come together to develop spaces that nurture a healthy relationship between the non-human ecosystem and the humans within it. From permaculture communities to alternative living and green co-ops, Chapter One looks at what it means to design a way of life that is holistic, engaged, and socially and environmentally conscious.

Chapter Two, Pollination, delves into hands-on approaches to germinating and spreading ecological advocacy through creative media. The highlighted artists and collectives are expansive in their craft: Zaria Forman conceptualizing large scale hyper-realist paintings in response to climate change; NEVERCREW addressing wildlife conservation through public murals; Jason deCaires Taylor building the world’s first underwater “Sculpture Park” in the West Indies (which was instrumental in the government declaring the site a National Marine Protected Area); and Victoria Fuller recreating elaborate natural systems in her sculptural designs. Hugely influential in their scope and reach, they channel their artistry into vehicles for environmental awareness, education and change.

Chapter Three, There is a River, brings together four photographers adopting an investigative and/or research-based approach in their work. Merging journalistic imagery and personal narratives, they examine specific cases in which people have been deeply impacted by nature, or vice versa. In their own ways, these photo-documentary pieces illuminate the fluid relationship between our natural landscapes and our socio-cultural ones, narrowing in on the spaces where the two realms overlap.

Elena Cremona & Maela Ohana Printed by Anglia Print Ltd, Unit 5b , Moor Buisness Park, Ellough Road, Beccles NR34 7TQ. All images published in The Earth Issue are property of the respective artists and no assumption of ownership is made by this publication. The contents may not be reproduced without explicit permission from The Earth Issue, Archive Collective Magazine, and the respective contributors. © 2018 The Earth Issue | The Archive Collective

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Impact

01 02 03 06. Toca do Coelho A collective bringing together art and agriculture in Algarve, Portugal.

12. CLOAAT Designing a Sustainable Future: Permaculture and Conscious Living at CLOAAT, India 20. Hempen An interview with Patrick Roberts, founder of the Hemp Co-Op “Hempen”

28. Zaria Forman Blending Beauty Into the Icebergs: An interview with environmentalist painter Zaria Forman

58. Aloha Bonser Shaw Tierra Solida : Aloha Bonser Shaw Photographs an Alternative Community Living Off-Grid in Andalucia

38. NEVERCREW Take it to the Streets: NEVERCREW’s large scale murals highlight the effect of humans on the natural world.

64. Carlos Jiménez From Where I Am Looking At You (I Can Not See You) : A photographic project exploring artificial representations of nature, the theatre of power, and masculinity in Japanese culture.

44. Jason deCaires Taylor Underwater Sculptures: An interview with Jason deCaires Taylor on his innovative approach to environmentalism.

52. Victoria Fuller Victoria Fuller’s sculptural works illustrate the fine balance between man and environmental systems.

76. Andrés Donadio Andrés Donadio considers the psychic and cultural relevance of a Colombian landscape in Niebla: Visiones del Salto 84. Jonas Manguet Plant-Based Photography and a Note on Biophilia

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I l l u s t r a t o r : Martyna Woj c i k

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Impact

I Planted a Seed I Planted a Seed, looks at grassroot models for sustainable living in three countries - Portugal, India, and England.

Creative thinkers and environmentalists have come together to develop spaces that nurture a healthy relationship between the non-human ecosystem and the humans within it. From permaculture communities to alternative living and green co-ops, Chapter One looks at what it means to design a way of life that is holistic, engaged, and socially and environmentally conscious.

Martyn a W Ăłj cik- Ĺš mi er s k a , Es t r el l a D a m m

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Toca do Coelho:

A collective bringing together art and agriculture in Algarve, Portugal.

Photography by Elizabeth Fleur Willis

Toca do Coelho is a permaculture farm and creative hub developed by the Konijn collective - a group of artists and performers from the Netherlands with a long history of organizing cultural events. Konjin set up a base in the hills of Algarve, near Alferce, a region that is environmentally degraded due to intensive land use and drought. Here, they fixed up a house, designed a permaculture garden, and built their own irrigation systems. With healthy soil and a diversity of crops, Toca do Coelho contributes to creating a more resilient ecosystem. We spoke to the collective about the vision and ideas that drive this inspiring project.

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Impact

Could you introduce Toca do Coelho to us?

Toca do Coelho is an open community, also called an ‘open house’, meaning that anyone who walks up this mountain will be welcomed and have the opportunity to come and join us in trying to create a more sustainable paradise. We are an agroforestry, permaculture project, creating and helping to support a space in which people can come and be free. We encourage a different way of living, and invite everyone to come and learn how to be as sustainable as we can be.

life, it’s about finding a way of integrating the amazing advances in technology and bringing them together with nature – to find a balance between them both. While we realize the importance and diversity of nature, we realize there is strength in the diversity of people too – and this strength is mostly found in the cities. There are so many different cultures and different types of people coming together. We treasure the model of the cities for that reason. We try to be open and welcoming to anyone who comes along to Toca.

Toca is as much an educational, as well as a creative experience. It’s about being part of this community together, growing together. We especially inspire people to be creative and take part in ongoing projects. We hope that whoever walks into Toca’s life, will feel at home when they do.

What is the current state of the Toca do Coelho region in Portugal, and what motivated you to re-cultivate this particular eco-system?

Do you see this project as an antithesis to how most people live their lives - especially in cities? Was anything born out of this juxtaposition?

People actually mostly visit this project from the cities.

A lot of influence of what happens here comes from city-life.

Our focus is on creative freedom, heavily based on finding and unlocking the true potential of your creativity. A lot of this also happens within the city – so in that way it’s not really an antithesis.

A lot of communities that exist in this area don’t necessarily feel the need to step away from society and the city life, to run away from it. Toca isn’t about running away from the city

The current state of Portugal in general is in a pretty bad way, as with a lot of places in the world. We have a big problem with desertification, there’s whole areas of Portugal that are turning into desert. Here specifically, where Toca is based, the land has been struggling with low and steadily dropping water levels for the past 30 years.

The effects of this are visible - rains are coming later and later, year after year and it’s getting drier and hotter.

70% of the land area in Algarve is covered by a monoculture of eucalyptus – and this is contributing in a big way to the destruction of our ecosystem. That’s been something that has motivated us to try and bring it more under control - to try and offer up a little bit of biodiversity for this area.

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“We want to encourage people to produce everything that we have, that we live with... everything in a sustainable way...We have taken so much from the earth, from our home and it’s time for us to give back – and this is our way of doing it.”

What are the main objectives of the work that you do here?

The main project of the community is to try and be as self sufficient as possible: we grow our own food in the most sustainable way possible.

We have a lot of experiments going on here, we have a lot of ideas that we think we can use on a larger scale -– continuously trying to find long term solutions to the way the land should be treated.

As we mentioned before, the agroforestry system – we dream of having it extended out into big areas, as well as building bio digesting toilets, that we believe can be implemented in the cities by creating and capturing our own methane gas of our toilets, which we will use to cook with.

So you are extending sustainability beyond just the food production and into other aspects of life?

We are trying to look at the whole way of living in terms of sustainability. As humans, we crave for our comforts, and here at Toca we are trying to be as sustainable as possible, even when it comes to the wants and needs of our comfort. We produce our own gas; we have plants which will be in our soaps, and which clean our clothes. We are growing cotton to make our own clothes, which is also bringing people in touch with crucial skills that we have lost along the way, which we have disconnected from.

We want to encourage people to produce everything that we have, that we live with (our pillows, our duvets, our clothes, our hygienic materials) – everything in a sustainable way.

It’s really exciting to be part of the whole process, to put a seed into the ground which is going to eventually produce something that can fuel our creativity and which we can use in our everyday life. We hope to inspire other people to do the same, to connect back to the source of it all.

We have taken so much from the earth, from our home and it’s time for us to give back – and this is our way of doing it.

What are some of your day-to-day activities at the farm?

It really depends on the seasons. At the moment we are coming into autumn, the first rains are starting to come and so we are starting to do a lot of planting (fruit trees, nut trees) and also smaller plants that fit into this agroforestry system.

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Another reason it varies is because of whoever might turn up that day – Toca is really created by the people that arrive here and the energy that comes with them. Sometimes people come here who are beautiful artists and they will paint our living space and create music. And the next moment we are filled with scientists who are experimenting with things that can help the land and new ways of growing and trying to forward this project in other ways. And then we have carpenters or people with amazing cooking skills. And when all these people arrive up here, it really creates what Toca is about – so it can really vary, and while the project flows we continue to build and plant and grow.

We are also doing a lot of building and preserving food, processing olives into oil and lupines.

Impact

What are lupines?

Lupines are a kind of bean, it’s a very common food around here in Portugal – they are usually used as a bar snack food.

It’s a very long process of starting to preserve them. What’s more inspiring is the fact that they are a great plant for the earth. It grows without water (just with the rainfall) – so you spread the seeds this time of year in the autumn, when the rains come and then by around June time you can harvest the seed and the plant itself is a nitrogen fixer, so it takes out nitrogen from the air. The plant naturally breathes air, as all plants do, and then through a symbiotic relationship in the soil, the bacteria joins up with the plant and extracts the nitrogen which the plant has absorbed through the air, and stores it in their bodies. When they die they naturally release it back into the soil.

What are the main principles of permaculture, and what are the approaches you’ve used to create synergy between the natural ecosystem and the human system?

I don’t know what you call the main principles of permaculture, but the principles that I really like is how each element in life and in an ecosystem supports each other, an idea of corporation. If you’re planting a tree, you will then always have a series of other plants usually growing around that tree to support it or you’ll have nitrogen fixes growing around it, you will have plants /flowers that produce great smells to attract a lot of bees. You’ll have certain plants to fight off pests of the trees, and it’s like that in every kind of thing. Every moment

you make in life can support many different other pathways/ aspects of live.

The way that we’re trying to create synergy between the ecosystem and the human system is by looking at it all as one thing. We are everything, we are all connected, we are the ecosystem that we choose to create.

I think we look at the use of material that we use, that we use in our human system, such as man made material, as just another concentration of nutrients and minerals – instead of saying ‘this pile of rubble is just rubbish or waste’, we see it as it’s actually a concentration of minerals which can be used for certain things’ – so we can find a way of introducing and including these kinds of minerals into the ecosystem.

We try not to look at things as waste, but rather a new way of integrating them into our lives.

Do you see permaculture coexisting with art in the context of your collective? Do you think that they are intrinsically linked or do you think this is something that you are bringing as a new concept?

For us, creativity exists in everything we do. In terms of permaculture and creativity, there’s so much involvement with both these aspects. There is a link and that’s what we try and encourage people to think about and so, looking at Toca, we see this link being very strong.

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Sofee Nadine: For me this is the first permaculture farm I have been involved in and everything about this way of living is creative. Every aspect of it. And when you plant, you’re inspired to create art within how you plant your things, and you’re inspired by your surroundings as natural artwork. NO matter who is doing it – if you’re an artist or not, you become an artist when you’re exposed to taking matters into your own hand. You become an artist when you’re involved in something like this. I presume it’s like this with any sort of project people take on.

Freddie ‘The Rabbit’ Peat: For me to being an artist is about putting passion and love into this thing that you’re creating.

Whenever we plant trees or try to do anything in life we always try to do it as creatively as possible and to see the effects we are having, to see the effects of our movements – what we are creating and destroying at the same time. We are often destroying as we create - when we dig into the soil to plants new trees, we also destroy habitats for microorganisms (and their relationship with bacteria and the soil or their relationship with fungi), but as part of that destruction we are also enriching it by bringing in extra compost, more tree roots that can help loosen up the soil, bring more water into the soil for minerals from below. There’s always needs to be a balance between destruction and creating.

as for ourselves, continuing this project and being involved and keeping a good healthy balance within ourselves.

We aim to create an environment of support and comfort, so when good/ or bad social days affect the rest of the group, we are here to show support.

When there are fires on the horizon or a threat of fire around the area; the affect that can have on everyone individually can be very drastic. People can take it hard, they are full of fear, there’s potential that you may lose everything around you, everything that you’ve put into this project may disappear – your home.

Threats of fire is something that deeply affects the people and the land – and actually the fire affects the land in a positive way, the fire is good for the land and plays a part in rejuvenating the soil, but in terms of what we (as people) are trying to create it’s not so healthy. There is a synergy between the physical and the emotional here, which means that issues such as forest fires really affect everything as one.

What is some way in which people can engage in permaculture on a smaller scale?

Can you tell us about the importance of balance and regeneration on the three levels of personal, social and environmental – and how these mirror each other in Permaculture?

Learning and working with permaculture and agroforestry in the past two years, we've understood how a lot of it is about observation and understanding your movements in a place, within something that already exists perfectly well. It's an inspiring way of looking at the earth, where we live and how we live our lives, just to remember the effects of what we do affects everything around us and that can be an inspiration too. If you watch a seed grow, you grow.

Being in a project like this, involved with many diverse people coming and going all the time – the social aspect has made this even clearer: to find a balance in this project is one of the biggest lessons we’ve learnt along the way, to make sure that everyone is happy and feeling inspired to create, as well

When you live in a city and you are able to instantly buy anything you want and gratify your needs, whenever you walk into a shop.

We are a little disassociated with the product and the process of that vegetable coming into existence.

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Impact

How do you feel going into supermarkets now after having experienced the seed-to-table process?

Sofee: When I was in England I was working on a project closely related to sustainability and awareness of meat consumption mainly, but now being involved in this project has made me feel even more connected to the vegetable part of my life.

Its incredible how you can go into a supermarket and buy vegetables that are wrapped in plastic and wrapped in more plastic, and not looking how they’re supposed to look. Now that I am growing my own vegetables, you can really see what a vegetable should look and taste like. What we are buying from supermarkets isn’t really what we should be eating and putting in our bodies, so working with Toca has really connected me with that and my advice to you would be to just shop wisely, don’t get things wrapped in plastic that have been kept in freezers for many months. Grow your own food, whether it’s in a flat or creating a tiny little greenhouse in your home, it’s very simple.

You can do that inside your home or if you have a little patio – it’s about creating a little time and effort for yourself and the environment around you. Take care of you own body, we really are what we eat.

It’s really inspiring watching something grow from seed and being able to prepare, cook and eat it – it nourishes you and it’s from your own effort and it’s a beautiful process to be a part of and I encourage everyone to do it and enjoy it.

Rabbit: Since I’ve been here at Toca, I have realized how much our actions affect everything. I would say the more you can cut down on your fossil fuel consumption /carbon footprint, the more fun you can have. I have seen how little movement, and little action can affect everything in life; where exactly the chain is coming from. You can buy an apple in England that has been flown halfway around the world, whereas here you can just step outside the door and pick an apple from a tree. It’s a crazy thing to know that the answers are so simple, they are all there. Your food and home, your shelter, they all come from the earth, without us really having to do anything. It’s just us who decided we need to grow this apple, 10 miles from our house and fly it half way across the world for really insane reasons. I think with that in mind, you can do so much and interact with the landscape you have around you – finding more ways to capture and conserve water. Even in the city or in a country like England we go through water shortage because things aren’t

managed very well. Anything you can to do contribute to better management of resources is incredible. Be aware and be inspired, watch your movement.

Be aware of yourself, you are responsible for yourself. Being here has definitely showed me that – we are responsible for our own movement, our own doings and if we really stop and think about we could do them better.

What do you see the future of this project as? And how do you imagine it growing and evolving?

At the moment, the project has 4 people living here full time- we would love to see that number grow and expand (to 15-20 people) and we would love to just continue with this agroforestry idea. We are still in our early days and there’s still a lot of experiments that we have to undergo - we will have to wait a couple of years to see if they are successful. There’s no limit to what we can do here at Toca. We have fantasies about being able to feed our own community, as well as feeding the communities around us, of being able to spread the knowledge (to make people aware of our successful and also not successful experiments and educate them). A big part of Toca is to inspire people in the area, as we are inspired by the Portuguese ways and their ways of farming – but we hope to inspire new ways of technology and farming, and hopefully help this land and water and show the things that are coming into fruition at Toca – this way of farming is a healthy way of living. We are on our way to currently building a decking area with an outside kitchen, and we hope to be the hosts of nights of meals that are made from food from the land, and hopefully be able to host talks and workshops about the environment, and arts and creativity. A place where inspiration is happening, with a full garden and food and beautiful people. We hope to build a recording studio here too and inspire musicians and bands to come and stay here and write music. Our dream is to enable people to live without having to spend a fortune to live passionately in life.

How can the readers of The Earth Issue get involved in your collective?

Drop us a line, ask us anything! Maybe you could even come along and get involved, we would love to hear from all The Earth Issue’s wonderful beautiful readers. Email us at hoppingtotoca@gmail. com or visit http://tocadocoelho.eu. THE EARTH ISSUE

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Issue 002

Designing a Sustainable Future: Permaculture and Conscious Living at CLOAAT, India Words by Maela Ohana

“One of the most important things about permaculture is that it is founded on a series of principles that can be applied to any circumstance—agriculture, urban design, or the art of living. The core of the principles is the working relationships and connections between all things.”

— Juliana Birnbaum Fox Over the course of thinking and writing about art and environmentalism, I’ve found myself drawn to permaculture design - the application of principles which are simultaneously creative, functional, regenerative¹, and environmentally conscious. How does “permaculture thinking” bridge the gap between Self, Other and Nature, and how can we apply this, in practice, within the context of our day to day activities? Which types of processes are permaculture communities developing in order to live a more engaged life within their natural environments?

Wanting to learn more about the philosophies and methodologies underlying the permaculture movement, I went to visit my long-time friend, Karuna Jenkins, in hopes of discussing her work in education and appropriate technologies in South India. On a bright Sunday morning in May I set off on the road winding down into the Sholai valley, surrounded by a scenic panorama of forest and rocky grassland.

For the past six years, Karuna has been teaching at the Centre for Learning, Organic Agriculture and Technology (CLOAAT,) an entirely self-sufficient educational community nestled in the Palani hills of Tamil Nadu. CLOAAT was founded in 1989 by her parents, a year before she was born, and so she spent her early childhood living on the centre’s campus. During a period of absence while studying in Bangalore and Edinburgh, she became increasingly troubled by the devastating ecological problems facing our world, and returned to Kodaikanal to dedicate herself completely to her family’s life-mission.

Her work currently revolves around wellness and bringing awareness back to the body and our connection to nature - she teaches Biology and Food and Nutrition to the senior students, and Organic Farming and Hatha Yoga to the whole school.

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I arrived at noon and was struck by the familiar beauty of CLOAAT, which spreads over 100 acres of agricultural land, pepper vines, coffee bushes and rolling hills covered in fruit trees and meadows. Within a few kilometres lies a reserve forest that is home to a wide array of wild animals including elephants, gaur, various species of deer, birds and wild boar - in fact, some of these species can occasionally be spotted perusing the school campus. Karuna met me at the dining room, where students and staff were sharing a home-grown vegetarian lunch of rice, okra, sambar and cucumber raita. After an initial heart to heart about the years gone by, we began our walk through the hilly terrain - past the vegetable gardens, the stone classrooms, across the wooden bridge, over the stream which bisects the agricultural land. “The community’s primary commitment is to living consciously and in harmony with nature,” Karuna explained as we watched the river curl its way around rocks and roots. It had been raining heavily over the past week, so the water was turbulent and earthy. “We aim to honour this close connection to Nature by living abstemiously, deriving our energy needs from various eco-friendly Appropriate Technologies², employing water harvesting techniques, segregating and recycling our waste, eating vegetarian food, growing our produce organically and using farming methods that nourish and revitalise the soil.”

¹ A regenerative system is one that produces more than it consumes. Regenerative systems and approaches go beyond sustainable ones, in that they improve on the resources they use. Using innovation and by mimicking nature (life is regenerative), we can create cyclical systems that move towards greater diversity, collect and build resources and, therefore, use internal rather than external resources. This way, becoming not only more abundant but also increasingly stable and resilient. ² Solar, Micro-hydro power and Bio-gas plants

The educational model at CLOAAT is based on J. Krishnamurthi’s philosophy. In such, education is seen as the total development of the human being - preparation for the individual to blossom and contribute to the collective blossoming of society.

The educational model at CLOAAT is based on J. Krishnamurthi’s philosophy. In such, education is seen as the total development of the human being - preparation for the individual to blossom and contribute to the collective blossoming of society. While many academic institutions narrow their focus to standardised milestones and objectives, a Krishnamurthi school starts out with the idea of inner transformation; working towards removing the limits of intellectual and emotional conditioning and cultivating awareness in one's relationship to others and to our natural environment.

CLOAAT thus emphasises the intrinsic connection between nature and humanity, attempting to nurture this bond through a hands-on teaching style which encourages exploration, curiosity and play. Aiming for a more holistic approach to education, the centre encourages children to enjoy the learning experience while focusing on multiple facets of their selfdevelopment - creativity, intellect, emotional awareness, health, and ecological appreciation. Besides the regular academic

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curriculum, a typical day at CLOAAT includes activities that nurture emotional intelligence and environmental stewardship, such as segregating and recycling waste, morning meditation and music classes, yoga, organic farming, dance, theatre, art, carpentry, and tending to the farm’s irrigation. The students are active and involved participants when it comes to the management of the centre, from sharing the cleaning and care of the campus and it's buildings, resolving issues that emerge over the course of the semester to applying their unique skills towards future developments. “Sholai is quite unique in that the relationship between the students and teachers is not bound to the time spent in class but also includes meal times, times on the football field or even just a walk together on a sunny Sunday,” Karuna said to me as we passed the woodworking studio, where much of the school’s furniture is designed. “As a result there is a deeper bond between students and staff and the teachers are able to understand and guide the students to grow academically, emotionally and to teach them to care for themselves in a holistic manner. In

the same way the students learn to interact with the teachers not as authority figures but as human beings with qualities and complexes like their own. Thus we all learn together.”

CLOAAT’s foundation resonates with the 3 ethics and 12 design principles of permaculture, centred around harnessing and replicating the patterns which occur in natural ecosystems.

In the context of farming, this means shifting away from an exploitative view of the land, and towards a collaborative approach with nature. The first ethic of Permaculture, “Earth Care,” is intrinsically linked to the second ethic, “People Care,” since human beings are inseparable from their natural systems. The third ethic, Fair Share, is also described as the ethical stance of “Return of Surplus to Earth and People,” which recognises that resources are finite and that humans must put a limit on their consumption. Fair Share also implies equity and social justice, connecting physical ecological resources to the social systems that structure their use. Sharing our surplus, whether it be a surplus or harvest or a surplus of skills,

knowledge and experience, helps foster an egalitarian society and a stable, collaborative community.

All work at the school and on the farm flows from these fundamental ethics, including using local, biodegradable and renewable resources as much as possible, and raising awareness about environmental and social issues. It begins at the level of employment and admission, by providing long-term opportunities to local workers and students, and extends to the administrative processes regulating the community. “Many issues are resolved through developing new systems that will counter problems that arise. Within the school the students participate in the discussion, development and design of new and established systems. Observation of natural and cultural principles, general laws and those relevant to our particular region is an ongoing process that helps guide our actions.”

As we passed the science and engineering classroom, I took a peek inside. Anatomical posters hung on the stone walls

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illustrating the digestive system, the muscular system, the human skeleton. An assortment of measurement tools and microscopes lined the wooden shelves among a display of projects in progress. Karuna called my attention to a mattress on the floor, explaining that the school was looking into creative ways of disposing its non-biodegradable waste. As part of this project the engineering students had been experimenting with innovative ways of recycling plastic, for example, by transforming into a fibre from which comfortable classroom furniture would be designed, or by using it to build a road. I sat down on it and testified that it was, in fact, very comfortable.

Innovative recycling is just one example of how the CLOAAT community reinforces its position as a human system within a larger natural system, using the permaculture principle of self-regulation’ based on respect for the natural environment.

“Permaculture brings attention to the relevance of systems in our lives,” Karuna explained as we approached the rainwater harvesting tank. “This insight recognises human systems, natural systems and the integration between the two. No organism, no phenomenon is isolated or separate. Though distinct, everything exists within a web of interconnected relationships, systems within systems. With this understanding permaculturalists employ design principles in their work.

This involves first seeking to understand the systems they are working with and the factors that influence each element within the system. Then systems are designed with the aim of establishing harmonious relationships between the elements and with the greater human and natural systems.”

As we made our way further up the hill towards the English and Math classrooms, I noticed a large shed-like structure covered in chicken wire. “That’s the vermiculture shed,” Karuna told me. Over the past decade, the students and staff at CLOAAT have been fine-tuning the process of decomposing organic food waste into a nutritious soil conditioner with the help of worms. Worms are, of course, naturally present in the soil and contribute to creating a nutrient-rich environment for plant growth. By replicating the natural process in a larger scale (by propagating worm populations in decomposing vegetable waste and vermicast) one can design an effective, organic and fast way of enriching agricultural soil.

“Observing Nature and her natural systems we find awe-inspiring intelligent design at work where each organism has a role to play in sustaining harmony and balance of the greater whole.”

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Karuna explains how biomimicry plays a crucial role in all of CLOAAT’s farming practices, from irrigation to crop placement and pest control. “Observing Nature and her natural systems we find awe-inspiring intelligent design at work where each organism has a role to play in sustaining harmony and balance of the greater whole. Human beings are blessed with the gift of creative expression, materialising our ideas, our imagination and giving us the power to modify and alter our world. Unfortunately much of this has been a misuse of the imagination, imposing our ideas onto our world without consideration of the greater whole, the delicate balance and harmony of our ecosystems and the long-term consequences of our choices. Permaculture paves the way for a new way of being on Earth, to use the power of our imagination and intelligence to create ways of living that sustain ourselves whilst nourishing the well-being of all other life and the life of the planet as a whole. Since life is designed to sustain itself, understanding and applying natural design principles allows Permaculture to move beyond sustainability to creating regenerative systems that are automated and grow more resilient and stronger over time.”

It was now late afternoon and we decided to take a hike to the nearby waterfalls, accompanied by a new volunteer who had just that day interviewed for a position teaching math. The sun was beating down and the appeal of a cool dip in the river grew stronger as we made our way along the mountainside. As we walked, Karuna pointed out the different flora that compose the local ecosystem: lemongrass, jackfruit, “kachakkai,” guava trees, banana plants, pepper vines. We sat perched on a rock and waited for a 6 foot long rat-snake to make its way across the stream, before throwing our shoes across and crossing. “Nonvenomous,” she reassured us midway.

By the time we reached the third waterfall the sun was sinking deeply into the valley, and the sky was filling with the rich hues of dusk. We jumped into the clear pool of water, clouds reflected in the water around us. The math teacher sat overlooking the lush expanses of jungle below, and meditated.

I asked Karuna why she choose her path in life - what drew her to working in environmentalism, and more specifically to ecoconservation in the Sholai Valley. “The issues closest to my heart all revolve around caring for the land. Over the years there has been an intensification of worrying trends that have significantly affected the landscape here. There has been an increase in hill burning practices that destroy young saplings of indigenous trees of the forest. As a result the forest cover of the hills has been reducing, this encourages soil erosion and over time more and more of the hills surrounding us are becoming bare. At the same time there has been an increase in the habitants of the valley, who do not follow practices that are sensitive to the local ecosystem and thereby destroy the local flora to create space for intensive crop cultivation. With the decrease in indigenous forest cover comes an increase in human-wildlife conflict as the wild animals are driven out of their natural habitat. In the last year two residents of the local villages were killed in tragic encounters with the Wild Elephants here. Although we have been fortunate with the rainfall this year, the last two years we had almost no rainfall and faced severe water shortages. All

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12 Permaculture Design Principles 1. Observe and Interact 2. Catch and store energy 3. Obtain a yield 4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Apply self-regulation, respond to feedback Use renewable resources Produce no waste Design from pattern to details Integrate rather than segregate

9. Use small and slow solutions 10. Use and value diversity 11. Use the edges (use all possible space) 12. Creatively use and respond to change

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of these issues are connected to the lack of awareness about the importance of preserving the local flora, particularly the indigenous trees that are so unique to this place. Increasing awareness about this and developing projects for reforestation is what I feel is most important to focus on in the near future.

Recognising the importance of our state of being in shaping the ways in which we interact with one another and impact the world, I also choose to work to increasing awareness of wellness.�

At nightfall, as we retraced our steps back over the dusky hillside, I reflected what it means to cultivate permaculture design principles in our work, our mindset, and our day to day existence.

In a technology-consumed and often disembodied modernity, it is easy to forget that we are part of a larger ecological system, and that working with the patterns therein instead of pushing against them would benefit ourselves, our communities, and our natural environment. Instead of imposing ourselves on our environment, permaculture encourages us to observe the natural processes around us carefully, and to let them inspire our actions. The foundations of permaculture, Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share, are upheld by practical principles which can be applied universally, such as using renewable resources, creatively responding to change, observing, and interacting. By developing these practices we can embody the interconnectedness of life, and in doing so, our interactions with nature become more harmonious and meaningful. . THE EARTH ISSUE

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“Increasingly awareness about this and developing projects for reforestation is what i feel is most important to focus on in the near future.�

How can you get involved?

CLOAAT is accepting volunteers and has positions open for teachers and professionals interested in working in various departments including woodwork, mechanical engineering, building and farming.

If you would like to contribute remotely, donations would also greatly help support and develop CLOAAT's current and future projects (for example, cleaning up the waste in the nearby villages, developing organic farming programs for the local farmers, and developing bio-fuel projects.

CLOAAT also offers a mature student program for individuals interested in learning practical skills such as woodwork, organic farming, electrical and mechanical engineering as well as intern as teachers. For more information or queries readers can visit the CLOAAT website www.sholaicloaat.org and/or email contact@sholaischool.in and karuna.jenkins@gmail.com

Impact

Frustrated by the institutions of school and the state, and having lived a childhood inspired by nature and community, Patrick Roberts decided to change the world for the better. In his case, 'better' meant building a world more in tune with its natural rhythms and free from the hypnotic death-pull of consumerism. He went on to found “Hempen,� a non-profit organic farming co-operative based in Oxfordshire, England, which aims to grow hemp for the benefit of people and the planet.

Photography by Benjamin Eagle

Roberts studied politics and philosophy and turned his frustrations to environmental and anti-capitalist grassroots, campaigning with horizontalist movements like the Climate Camp, as well as groups such as Bicycology, Plane Stupid, Workers Climate Action and Transition Heathrow. Eventually he became fascinated with building a community for meeting collective change and challenges. Challenges such as questions on how to survive climate change, peak oil and the breakdown of neoliberal capitalism.

My personal motivation for starting Hempen was my belief that hemp could not only facilitate the building of rural communities thanks to its many valuable properties, but also be one of the answers to the global environmental crisis.

The Earth Issue spoke to Hempen founder Patrick Roberts about the growth of his project, and the environmental benefits of hemp.

Modern processing technologies have made it possible to create alternatives to gasoline, plastic, and other petroleum products that can help the human race lessen its reliance on polluting and expensive fossil fuels. Hemp is socially beneficial and environmentally miraculous for the health of people and the planet; whether you are measuring the qualities of the seed as a superfood, its flowers as a health supplement or its stalk as an eco-construction material, the possibilities are endless.

Tell us about your journey in founding Hempen?

My journey with Hempen started by acknowledging that I am nature. We all are. Everything we do to the planet we do to ourselves. To live in harmony with it is to live in harmony with ourselves. I had previously lived at Grow Heathrow, a permaculture community, where everything is based on common sense and a long-term perspective that, we are not apart from nature, but a part of it. The Earth and the people who inhabit it, are not separate, and as such, permaculture is really just an ancient wisdom applied in a contemporary context.

According to David Holmgren, co-originator of the permaculture concept there are three ethics central to permaculture: care for the earth, care for people, and fair share. How do you translate these main tenets, and how do you see Hempen redesigning our environment, and our behaviour towards nature?

Creatively respond to change - Hempen is part of a fast emerging hemp industry, where the consumer demand is growing and the legal terrain is changing in unpredictable ways. We employ a collaborative and agile business model so that we can dynamically adapt to changes in the market.

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Catch and store energy – through photosynthesis, we know that the hemp plant uses the most efficient form of solar energy conversion. It also attracts lots of volunteers who give us valuable start up energy to help get the business through its most vulnerable early years.

Obtain a yield - we get many yields from the hemp plant, as it is known to have 50,000 uses. So far we've tried 247 of them.

The more fruitful the harvest, the greater the opportunity to earn meaningful livelihoods through a community we can be proud to be a part of.

Use and value renewable resources - we get all our electricity and heat from renewable resources such as wood and solar.

Produce no waste - we use (or plan to use) all parts of the hemp plant and any bi-products from the processing to make other products.

Use and value diversity - as a living ecosystem we recognise that the health of our organisation depends on employing a range of characters to fulfil different aspects of the business.

Integrate - we are part of a wider community of the Harwick estate. The residents and businesses here form a community that participates together in events and celebrations. We also share the farm with a forest school, which supports some very marginalised and excluded young people from the surrounding area. With them we are planning to plant an edible hedge on the boundary we share.

Create greater community resilience - as a wider Hardwick community we can be self-sufficient for most of our food and energy, as our estate has everything from permaculture farms and market gardens, to foresters, builders and carpenters.

Use incremental solutions - as an organisation that started with very little cash and a lot of love, we have had to grow slowly and implement each step in an organic way through trial and error.

Observe and interact - we are constantly working out which type of hemp varieties grow best and which products our customers appreciate most.

Self-regulate and welcome feedback - we have a system of accountability-buddies who collectively support each other through check-ins, peer support and regular reviews.

Design flexible strategies - we are part of the broader British Hemp Association, which helps us understand our industry. We hold strategy days to work out how our co-operative and the products we develop can move with the flow of the market trends.

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How do you and your community members engage with each other, and your natural surroundings?

At Hempen we live in a holistic way, our community being connected with the land: we grow our hemp from the soil; we heat our homes with the wood from the forest, we forage local mushrooms for our dinner and we celebrate the cycles of the sun and the moon in seasonal festivals, guiding the rhythm of our year. Equally, the wellbeing and purpose of each individual is supported to live in harmony with that of others, collectively manifesting itself within our community and co-operative business.

In what way is creativity encouraged at Hempen?

Creativity is essential for a dynamic adaptation in an everchanging world. A well designed permaculture system requires significant creativity to establish and tweak.

In order to spread word about our project, we turn to storytelling; as a creative and expressive process which binds all of our principles together. It is important that we tell the story of Hempen well, so that it becomes a story people want to hear.

Additionally, our storytelling manifests itself through photography (such as Benjamin Eagle’s documentary project on us), which then becomes a mutual collaboration and exchange of energy.

How versatile is hemp? Are there any environmental/ economic advantages and disadvantages to hemp farming?

Hemp is one of the most useful plants on Earth. An ancient crop, hemp has served humanity since 2000 BCE - providing fibres for cloth and rope, building materials and paper. It’s also an incredible source of food, textiles, paper, fabric, fuel oil and alternatives to plastic.

It improves soil quality and requires neither pesticides and fertilisers, nor any additional irrigation. It also sequesters carbon at least 4 times faster than sustainable agriculture, making it great for the atmosphere, oceans and the environment in general. If we were to significantly grow hemp and use it to make hempcrete (or hemp-line: a natural building material) for construction, we would be able to lock significant amounts of carbon out of the atmosphere at a time when we are desperate to reduce carbon levels in order to fight the catastrophic environmental crisis.

The versatility of hemp is its major strength. There are 50,000 known uses of hemp, which means that as a crop it is a stable product in an unstable economy, but also a great crop to be grown for community resilience as it can meet so many immediate needs. If the economy were to crash tomorrow and we had to survive the collapse of civilisation, then hemp would help us through it all. We could burn hemp briquettes to keep us

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warm. We could power our tractors using hemp biodiesel. We could repair and rebuild our homes using hempcrete. We could eat the seed for our protein. We could keep ourselves healthy with our Cannabidiol (CBD and other cannabinoids are known to be particularly good for improving the functioning of our immune system as they uniquely benefit the development of the Endocannabinoid system which regulates homeostasis in the body.)... the only limit appears to be our imagination.

How can we include hemp in our everyday lives?

It's hard to know where to start with this as the possibilities are endless.

The hemp plant is a renewable resource that can be produced domestically. It grows quickly, naturally resists plant diseases, requires little weeding, thrives in most climates, and enriches the soil it grows in. Hemp can replace the fish and meat that we intensively farm and overfish from the oceans as it is rich in protein and omega oils for you brain. The growing of the plant benefits the soil and sequesters more carbon than sustainable forestry. Hemp bioplastic is bio degradable and based on a renewable resource unlike plastic made from oil that litters the planet. Hempcrete is more insulating and easier to build than concrete and other standard building

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materials and it does not need such a high expenditure of CO2 in its construction.

What’s in store for Hempen - as a permaculture community, and a co-operative?

We believe in the power of hemp to provide a better world for everyone. All the money we make goes back into the cooperative, to support our vision of a fair economy, to pay fair wages and support other ethical projects. I see Hempen as establishing itself as the UK's premier ethical hemp brand and using its success to become a leader in combining enterprise with community building. As we build success with our food and health supplements, we will begin to offer more products under the Hempen umbrella in areas such as cosmetics, construction and more.

How can readers of The Earth Issue get involved with Hempen?

As a co-operative, we actively encourage working as a community and sharing our knowledge and our passion.

The best way is to check us out is online via our social media (@hempenorganic ) or www.hempen.co.uk where you can sign up to volunteer on the farm and spend some time in our community to be part of our experience and growth. THE EARTH ISSUE

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M ar tyn a W รณj cik- ล m i er s k a , L i pt o n

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Pollination Pollination, delves into hands-on approaches to germinating and spreading ecological advocacy through creative media.

The highlighted artists and collectives are expansive in their craft: Zaria Forman conceptualizing large scale hyperrealist paintings in response to climate change; NEVERCREW addressing wildlife conservation through public murals; Jason deCaires Taylor building the world’s first underwater “Sculpture Park” in the West Indies (which was instrumental in the government declaring the site a National Marine Protected Area); and Victoria Fuller recreating elaborate natural systems in her sculptural designs. Hugely influential in their scope and reach, they channel their artistry into vehicles for environmental awareness, education and change.

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There is something starkly mythical encased in the clandestine landscapes of the Arctic. For many of us, it’s a barren territory of snow; conceivable, though farthest away from our reach. Many of us could go through our entire lives not having an inkling of what's out there in the vast white area at the bottom of the world map. But for some, remote landscapes are a revered source of inspiration.

Brooklyn-based artist and educator, Zaria Forman may be known to some as the iceberg impressionist. Capturing the eyes and hearts of many with alluring studies of glaciers and the frosty landscapes of Greenland and the Arctic. Forman isn’t simply a fine artist, but a devoted documentarian of ice: “Artists play a critical role in communicating climate change, which is arguably the most important challenge we face as a global community. I have dedicated my career to translating and illuminating scientists’ warnings and statistics

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through an accessible medium – one that moves us in a way that statistics may not.”

Finding ways to address the impact of climate change on our environment is a topic that has as many layers, as the sheets of ice themselves. Yet there is a remarkable traction to Forman’s drawings that call to our immediate attention. As a vehement form of activism, Forman’s drawings function as visual artefacts that transport viewers right to the core of the plight of melting ice caps: “If people can experience the sublimity of these landscapes, perhaps they will be inspired to protect and preserve them.”

Using merely paper, soft pastels and charcoal, her agile hands, and exceptional memory, Forman is able to conjure up life-like drawings of distant icebergs, as if she were a sculptor – smudging

Blending Beauty Into the Icebergs: An Interview with environmentalist painter Zaria Forman Words by Leah Abraham

C ie r v a C ov e , A nt a r ct i ca no .2

and blending pastel pigment with her steady unflinching precision.

Depicting their marvellous grandeur, rather than their melting decline, is what she graciously considers her artistic duty, and life’s mission: “Drawing is my tool for progressive change. My art works in tandem with other tools, like NASA’s scientific data or your publication, in order to reach a large audience. Together we send a unified message.”

For Forman, her drawings are not limited to exhibition walls in gallery spaces; her rich and dazzling compositions make for an equally wondrous viewing in digital formats, having garnered a global wealth of fans and followers on platforms such as Instagram and Vimeo.

She has been lucky enough to join NASA on several expeditions to Greenland and Antarctica, capturing magnificent ice landscapes through multiple photographs to refer back to when drawing in the

studio. In 2015 Forman completed a 4 week residency aboard the National Geographic explorer, which enabled her to complete a photo series and video installation for her recent solo exhibition, Antarctica.

Additionally, Forman has been featured at Harvard University and in Banksy’s Dismaland, her works have appeared in the Wall Street Journal and The Huffington Post, and they have even been used as set design for the Netflix TV series House of Cards. As a devout traveller and impassioned climate change educator, Forman remains resolute in her ability to create images that transcend geographic borders and place us in intimate proximity to the North and South poles; “My drawings explore moments of transition, turbulence and tranquillity in the landscape, allowing viewers to emotionally connect with a place they may never have the chance to visit. I choose to convey the beauty as opposed to the devastation of threatened places.”

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On Forman's Artistic Process “When I travel, I take thousands of photographs. I often make a few small sketches on-site to get a feel for the landscape.

Once I return to the studio, I draw from my memory of the experience, as well as from the photographs, to create large-scale compositions. Occasionally I will reinvent the water or sky, alter the shape of the ice, or mix and match a few different images to create the composition I envision. I begin with a very simple pencil sketch so I have a few major lines to follow, and then I add layers of pigment onto the paper, smudging everything with my palms and fingers and breaking the pastel into sharp shards to render finer details.”

“The process of drawing with pastels is simple and straightforward: cut the paper, make the marks. The material demands a minimalistic approach, as there isn't much room for error or re-working, the paper’s tooth can hold only a few thin layers of pigment. I rarely use an eraser – I prefer to work with my ‘mistakes,’ enjoying the challenge of resolving them with limited marks. I love the simplicity of the process, as it has taught me a great deal about letting go. I become easily lost in tiny details and if the pastel and paper did not provide limitations, I fear I would never know when to stop, or when a composition was complete.”

“In August of 2012 I led an Arctic expedition up the northwest coast of Greenland, which changed my art and my

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“I have dedicated my career to translating and illuminating scientists’ warnings and statistics through an accessible medium, one that moves us in a way that statistics may not.”

life. It was a trip my mother and I designed based on the 1869 expedition of American painter, William Bradford: the very first Arctic art expedition.”

On Forman’s greatest Inspirations “My mother is one of my greatest influences. Her photography and ability to focus on the positive rather than the negative have shaped my art in innumerable ways. She taught me the importance of loving what you do, and carrying out projects full force, no matter what obstacles lie in the way. Above all though, her dedication, passion, and perseverance continue to inspire me. She would spend hours on an icy cliff edge, waiting for the sunlight to illuminate the frame through her camera lens that she had chosen, smiling happily, long after the rest of the family's toes had gone numb. We would whine and complain, urging her to call it a day so we could return indoors and have a warm meal, yet she wouldn't budge until she knew she had captured what she wanted.

She was diagnosed with brain cancer on Mother's Day in 2011 and passed away six months later. During the months of her illness, her dedication to the expedition never wavered and I promised to carry out her final journey. In Greenland I was compelled to address the concept of saying goodbye on scales both global and personal, as I scattered my mother’s ashes amidst the melting ice. During my most recent trip to Greenland this past April, I was able to visit that same place in honour of my mother. It is a very special place to me.”

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W h a l e B a y no. 4

“Bays that enclose grounded icebergs like these are called ‘iceberg graveyards,’ a gloomy, yet fitting title that expresses the reverence, silence, and sacredness of this landscape.”

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Impact

On Whale Bay no.4 “Whale Bay no. 4 is a particularly special drawing for me. It is large (7 feet by 12 feet) and is based on a beautiful place on the Western side of the Antarctic peninsula called Whale Bay. A glacier near the bay carves icebergs into the sea—as all glaciers eventually do—and the wind and water currents carry these icebergs directly into Whale Bay.” I once had the opportunity to explore Whale Bay for two hours in a small boat, riding around massive, majestic, ice structures. I sat in total awe for every moment. A purplegrey sky loomed above and the winds were calm, creating a tranquillity that allowed for perfect reflections of the ice and sky on the water's surface. Our little boat circled around the most astonishing, intricately sculpted, glowing blue icebergs I have ever seen. I had no idea there were so many shades of bright sapphire blues! I shot hundreds of photographs, at times having to force my camera into my lap so I could relax and simply experience the breathtaking beauty.

Bays that enclose grounded icebergs like these are called "iceberg graveyards" – a gloomy, yet fitting title that expresses the reverence, silence, and sanctity of this landscape. Throughout the icebergs' lifespans in the bay, the wind and waves sculpt them into unimaginable shapes.

Earth's elements become artist's hands, transforming graveyards into sculpture gardens.” THE EARTH ISSUE

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Take it to the Streets: NEVERCREW’s large scale murals highlight the effect of humans on the natural world “Nature is both powerful and delicate, and so is humankind”, declare the dexterous double that form NEVERCREW. Creating large-scale visual pieces, the pairing provides an interpretation of the natural world and how we relate to it as humans, contrasting natural elements with pieces of machinery in their murals.

Using images of large endangered animals that are greatly impacted by climate change, such as bears, polar bears and cetaceans who are “suffering the environmental changes”, NEVERCREW aspire to broaden the discussion on the environmental crisis and directly communicate with the viewer. Adding to the images of animals, the artists also depict a range of different natural resources throughout their work; oil, quartz, rocks, icebergs and metals are all represented in their murals to connect the smaller machine fragments in order to complete the conversation. The finished mural evokes a “system” contrasting “environmental icons” with human components responsible for the “issues affecting our present time”.

The creative duo consists of Swiss artists Pablo Togni and Christian Rebecchi, who have worked alongside each other since 1996, whilst also attending the C.S.I.A art school in Lugano. In 2005 both graduated from the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera in Milan, having attended Professor Nicola Salvatore’s painting course, who has since been featured at the 53rd and 54th Venice Biennale. Subsequently, they spent three years working for several companies and city departments. Progressing their painting style by combining their use of spray paint and academically-acquired knowledge, the duo returned to their personal work in 2008, beginning a new artistic chapter based upon the development of “a more specific language on a conceptual level, which takes the form mainly in (their) ‘sections’ and ‘living structures’.”

The approach to their work – as well as its execution – depends on the harmony of both individuals. The intimate relationship between the two artists reflects the time they’ve spent synchronising their styles, attempting to “merge the ideas and feelings” of one another’s individuality. Twenty-one years of collaborative work is expressed in a creative form of visual communication that has combined the work and minds of two artists.

Reluctant to pigeonhole themselves, they steer away from self-descriptions, to be as free as possible in their creative process. They believe that “visual art has the power of

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Words by Niels Carlyle

touching more levels at the same time. Art has, in general, the chance to cross the lines of institutional languages, both verbal and visual, touching emotions, stimulating ideas in a way that at the same time is instinctive and thoughtful, to propose alternative views to the ones that are habitual and strictly bound by the system”. They draw inspiration from literary greats such as Kafka, Thoreau, Kerouac and Douglas Adams, and are influenced by avant-garde and surrealist artists such as Magritte, Manzoni and Breton. Specifically mentioned by the duo was Joseph Beuys for his “relationship with nature” and his “idea of concrete utopia and social sculpture”.

Leaning on these inspirations and drawing upon their vast archive of collected photos, sketches, videos and written concepts they saved since the 90’s, is how the duo approaches their creative process. Defining the initial stage of this process as a “perennial discussion”, this sets the foundation for the realisation of any of their projects. The location and the structure – including historical and cultural elements of the project – are reflected upon, in order to place the idea within its environment. Adapting the concept to its surroundings plays a pivotal role within NEVERCREW’s philosophy and can be linked to their interpretation of the human relationship with nature. Showcasing work all over the globe, from Miami to Hong Kong, in galleries or on the street, the two artists demonstrate their ability and versatile approach. Allowing the local community to interact with their murals, the hope lies within the communication of perspectives, inducing a reaction to the subject of their work.

“Our hope is to give the idea that there is something inside, behind and around our work, and this is also the context in which everyone lives,” says NEVERCREW. With the thought that visual art could leave the systemic institutionalised world behind, and touch upon other levels, NEVERCREW believe it is a way of “stimulating ideas in a way that is at the same time instinctive and thoughtful”, as well as contrasting “views to the ones that are habitual and strictly bound by the system.”

B lac k M ac h in e M ur al p ain t in g an d in s t allat ion r e alis e d on t h e C olos s e o t h e at r e i n T u r i n ( I) , 2015. P r oje c t in c ollab or at ion w it h T e at r o C olos s e o an d S q uar e2 3 ga l l e r y .

A b lat in g Mac h in e Re alis e d f or t h e c ollab or at iv e p r oje c t c ur at e d b y U r b an Nat ion a nd P an g e aS e e d Foun d at ion . Wyn w ood , M iam i (U S A ), D e c e m b e r 20 1 5 .

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E x h a u s t i n g Machi ne M u r a l pa i nti ng real i sed i n V anco uver ( CA) fo r Vanco uver Mural Fest iv al.

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M i r r o r i n g Machi ne N °3 1 0 0 x 7 0 cm, Ac ryl i c s, sp ray paint and stencils o n wo o d, 2 0 1 7 .

E x h aus t in g M ac h in e N° 3 100 x 70 c m , A c r ylic s , s p r ay p ain t an d s t e n c ils on w ood , 2017.

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Before the mural or project can be started, a huge amount of organisation is needed; due to the large-scale work done by the artistic crew. Lifts, stencils and a vast amount of materials are required, as well as a healthy amount of patience to endure the sometimes bureaucratic nature of the organisational process. Being hyper-aware of climate change, the duo attempts to “gradually improve solutions and minimise waste” throughout the duration of their project.

O r de r i n g Mac hi ne M u r a l pa i nti ng real i sed for G reno ble Street Art Fest in Greno ble ( F ) 2016.

The reaction they seek to evoke within the viewer derives from a focus on the relationship between humans and nature, but also explores other aspects affecting our climate, conveying a powerful environmental, as well as political message. Trying to involve the viewers in a spatial and emotional way, the artists aim for a “mix between direct impact and a deep and slow reaction” to create serious thoughts and dialogue amongst the audience. “Compromising and layering the elements” in an effort to share a “sort of understanding” rather than a finished idea, they intend to trigger thought and response within the observers. The “language” they set out to exchange is created from the use of “systems” and “mechanisms” which represent the human built machines and natural beings in their pieces.

The mundane human objects that cripple the grand natural images within their work make it easy for the viewer to relate and connect, creating a “clearly understandable way to enter the artwork and at the same time a symbolic element of the human presence,” shedding light on the “paradoxical condition” we find ourselves in. “The exploitation of natural resources and privatisation are the evidence of a system that’s working against humanity,” they say, which leads to a “perceptive gap that consents to the system to continue in the same way”.

“People used to think that there's only this possible way, and so everything could start by taking awareness of everyone’s position and then accepting the possibility that things could be different.” By accepting the opportunity for change within our systems, taking personal responsibility for climate change and attempting to counter it within our potential capabilities, NEVERCREW think the negative, downward spiral of human interaction with the environment can be overcome for the good of us and our planet. The time has come to hold politicians accountable for their continual inadequacy of regulating the environment; combined effort on our part will lead us towards the goal of preserving our planet – more power than we think lies in our hands: “The system is made also of people, not only of politicians, but this is also the good part, since people can change what politicians are avoiding changing”.THE EARTH ISSUE

D i s c o r d a nt - Waves 1 4 0 x 1 0 0 c m, Acryl i cs and st encils o n canvas, 2 0 1 7 .

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Underwater Sculptures: An Interview with Jason deCaires Taylor Words by Joana Sequeira

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“Jason deCaires Taylor’s sculptures are artificial reefs, formed from carefully manufactured sculptures installed at various locations around the world. Each sculpture is created using non-toxic, pH neutral marine grade cement, free from harmful pollutants, becoming an integral part of the local ecosystem.”

Amidst the chaos and decay of the plastic age, the filth, the waste and the lack of deliberation on ways to save our planet from complete devastation, another thing we could lose right now is: hope. Artists such as Jason deCaires Taylor convey to us that feeling, that if we act now, if we show reasonable measures to help saving what is left, to prevent our ecosystems from being depleted, to not over-exhaust our resources by keeping in mind our future generations, then, there is hope we can count on. Yet we cannot simply rely on our optimistic exchange of the word hope. The key, as deCaires Taylor shows, is to take action. Acting locally, thinking globally.

Land Art is a movement that emerged at the end of the 60’s, where artworks were built from and into the natural landscape, without concern for any environmental impact or any recognition of responsibility towards nature.

Only later on, art began to constitute as a form of activism.

Greenpeace’s anti-whaling campaigns, for instance, could be seen as the crucial changing point in which we see this shift of paradigm. But it was only at the beginning of this millennium that we’ve started to notice that our environment is changing rapidly. Luckily, we can rely on some artists expertise, such as deCaires Taylor, who – for the lack of voices calling to the awareness of protecting the environment – rejects the elitist trend in the art world, where the aesthetically appealing is the ultimate trend, commenting on contemporary art as follows: “Because it’s such a vital thing to our existence, our oceans and our reefs are getting severely damaged, and this is all happening in a short space of time – just in my lifetime. When I was younger, I was lucky enough to explore pristine reef habitats, and 20 years later, those same habitats no longer exist. The impact on the trajectory of evolution is so profound. And having been a diver for a very long time, I have been fortunate to visit lot of places around the world, however people keep telling me the same story, “you should have seen this place a long time ago, it was beautiful…” it sort of got impossible for me in this day and age to do any other type of work, it would just seem very trivial and pointless.”

DeCaires Taylor’s giant cement sculptures, which are sunken into the ocean in areas with barren seedbeds, now provide a new home for the underwater world. The final pieces are sculpted by him and crafted by the ocean. Art of this nature, other than being thought provoking, is also beneficial on many levels, as the artist tells us: "On a very basic level, it’s an artificial reef, so it provides a new habitat space for marine creatures to colonise. Most of our seabed is uninhabitable in terms of reef formation, in fact only 2-3% of our seafloor is stable enough for reefs to form, so in a way, I provide a platform for new reefs to generate. It also offers a place for the marine life to take shelter, and breed whilst drawing tourists away from fragile over stretched areas.

They also provide benefits on an economic level, as some of my installations require entrance fees, which generate funds for local conservation efforts. Also the presence of marine park rangers to monitor the sites helps prevents overfishing, illegal

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activities; these are some of the practical benefits. On the other hand, my work is very much about encouraging people who never considered diving or who never considered oceans as a space for art to flourish. It encourages these types of people to understand care and protection, and it functions as a portal to another world, one of which is little known of…”

DeCaires Taylor’s oeuvre takes effort to understanding, obliging the viewer to go beyond boundaries of thought, only to get to the point of realizing one thing: that his work allow us to step out of our daily lives and into a completely different reality; that these sculptures carved out of stone are just a pure reflection of ourselves and some of our daily habits and routines. It is important to note that these installations are basically transferred from the closed space of the gallery to the wide oceans of the planet, automatically drawing a new frontier for both the arts and the continued health of marine ecologies. A body of work where we can find underwater sculptures that are purposely non-toxic, with no harm to the surroundings, using pH neutral materials to instigate natural growth. These sculpture parks or museums by deCaires Taylor remind us of a very urgent concept, which in this day and age needs to be redefined in order to give answers to the planet’s needs. Museums, as we know them, preserve the past, focusing on displaying the most important artworks and other objects of a certain time. As deCaires Taylor previously said regarding his own work, “we call it museum for a very important reason. Museums are places of preservation, conservation, and education(…) Wouldn’t we agree that these sacred institutions should have more of an active voice within propagating messages of caring about our oceans, raising awareness for climate change, alerting us about the damages of pollution worldwide?”

We can’t preserve the present all by ourselves, as the artist agrees with us: “… We talk about conserving the past all the time, when we should be trying to protect it from a dark future. Statistics and scientists, have been showing us that coral reefs might not exist in 50 years time. Vanished, gone, forever. These are such vast, fundamental issues, that I don’t know how we can be talking about anything else and I think, it really is up to museums, given all we’ve been hearing about scientific facts, to make a stand and transform this gap into a collaboration. Museums and institutions have a really important role to convert science into messages which can be easily understood, translated and accessible to anyone.”

The artist himself, the sculptor, the environmentalist, the professional underwater photographer, the diver, is the one who plays the educational role, fostering care and understanding of marine ecologies. When, in reality, it shouldn’t only be the artist responsibility to do so. If we shift our attention to the political paradigm, we can see big, bold, giant political slogans, which in reality don’t mean anything. According to deCaires Taylor, “… It is vital now, more than ever, to have leaders pointing up in the right direction.”

Will these same political elites only assume a firm position, and real action, when it will start to affect humans everyday lives?

The human food chain has already been altered due to the entry of plastic toxins, causing serious diseases such as infertility, cancers and behavioural disorders. The global warming, the oceans acidification, the pollution caused by practices such as

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Industry and Agriculture, the overfishing, the tourism impact regarding coastal areas… This has, and will continue to have a profound impact on our daily lives as humans, and it’s up to major identities to develop their role as well. DeCaires Taylor’s artworks demands local governments to consider their coastlines and natural wonders, and forces them to ask the questions why they aren’t turning big slogans and advertisements into something that could really wake up people's’ mindset on this matter: “That’s the thing, where’s the tipping point? When is enough?

When does this mess turn into something which cannot be undone. We won’t be able to function or continue on the same route… There are solutions out there, biodegradable plastic for instance… unfortunately these alternative solutions need to be backed with political and financial aid, so we are undoubtedly heading towards a stage, when we don’t have a choice but to make a radical change. We are starting to adapt a collective conscious and awareness around the theme of pollution though: I can see people becoming more attentive to plastic in the ocean, bigger companies encourage customers to recycle their products or seek solutions from within. There seems to be positive change from the individual perspective, but less from a government level. In the UK, the government has banned a few things, such as microbeads. But, still falling away short from what’s required.”

Which leads me to explore concepts such as the Anthropocene and Plastic Age, and the fact that, in the near future, it will be linked back to our current time. How can we draw fresh perspectives from vital artists like deCaires Taylor, and most importantly, highlight our inherent apathy or denial on the environmental crisis?

Art can motivate and inspire real action in the fight for a more sustainable and brighter future: “Artists have to be bold, brave, and not fear attacking. I really feel that some of the biggest threats to our planet are many of these huge corporations that have in some ways become more powerful than our governments, and we can’t continue in this capitalist system; the planet will not support it. And so, artists can be the trendsetters, and when people boycott products, when public opinion shifts, I think that some of these companies will find themselves in a lot of trouble. It takes bravery to manifest one's’ beliefs.”

Artists play such a vital role on these matters: activism, the lack of action from the political sphere, the massive impact brought by big corporations, the museums as having a great potential to act now; about preserving the uncertain future… but what about our educational systems?

Introducing environmental art into our academic pathway, rather than just being available within an aesthetic paradigm, could potentially captivate the attention and interest of a younger generation: ‘Thinking globally, acting locally’ - a slogan that could instill a collective awareness towards our planet, as well as empower more and more citizens to act responsibly towards Mother Earth.

Jason deCaires Taylor’s projects aim to launch a new era for tourism, one of cultural and environmental awareness, taking into account that our coastal areas are more than tropical palm tree beaches; they are alive and breathing and part of our ecosystem. The underwater sculptures show us that what the eyes see, the heart does feel…

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“It’s very much about attracting a different audience and it’s been very successful in that sense. There have been many new people that have been learning to dive, who never considered it.

Subsequently, people go on to explore other areas, view other sites. It has been a positive success in redirecting them away from fragile areas. In Mexico, there are around 350,000 people that visit museums each year, so that’s taking a lot of traffic away from natural healthy reefs…”

Oil entering the oceans from oil spills, routing shipping and the controversy around fracking are some of the major issues around the environmental crisis in this day and age. As the artist states: “I think the tide is turning. More than anything it’s economic reasons – when the government and the state will start banning petrol cars, when they’ll start investing heavily into solar energy, that’s when you realize, they’ve done the mathematics… It’s a reality, it’s unstoppable, it’s like Trump betting on coal, it’s just not marketably viable anymore… There are great opportunities for governments to be at the forefront. In England there’s an opportunity to become one of the leaders of the clean energy revolution from off shore wind and tidal energy, but instead Fracking is desperately trying to squeeze the last drop of oil out of the ground, when there is so much more potential in clean energy. Our political system is severely damaged. Corporations have infiltrated the political atmosphere to such a high degree, that it is completely corrupting the democratic system.”

More and more, we watch artistic, pro-environmentalist projects developing at high speed; foundations such as the Sea Walls, movements, collectives, photographers, campaigners, activists, platforms such as The Earth Issue - all being part of the green movement.

A question I keep pondering is - would people truly be persuaded in acting now, by engaging our emotional side? Are scientific facts so incomprehensible and unattainable, that it is easier to discard, rather than understand them? A lot can be done, as a lot can be learned. It is vital to not fall into the ignorance of people, such as leaders of the free world, to not ignore the facts as they are constantly shown through the media. Listen, read, look around you, act today, and believe that each one of us has the ability to make a difference. I’ve started by speaking the truth, by spreading a message, as I’ll leave you with words of hope from our artist, Jason deCaires Taylor: “Sometimes the small changes can cascade into massive movements. We have political slogans that in reality don’t mean anything at all, but they’re powerful statements and they engage people. Environmentally, we need to take the same stance, using the same passionate arguments that people have about their country, their rights, and they need to be equally passionate for the environment. The ultimate aim could be, trying to turn environmental slogans into strong statements. And most importantly, don’t just act now, act quickly.” THE EARTH ISSUE

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A Delicate Balance: Can systems of man and nature co-exist?

Words & Images by Victoria Fuller

I grew up on a farm near woods and streams in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Nature was all around me. As a child observing nature, I focused on the macro and the micro worlds – veins and galls on leaves, organisms swimming in puddles, tree bark, a bird’s nest on the windowsill, stars in the Milky Way, and an eclipse of the sun. With wonder and awe, when I was around 7 years old, I witnessed the Aurora Borealis from the porch outside my house. The Sun’s activity and the Earth’s magnetic field were lined up in such a way that we could see it in Pennsylvania. The phenomenon of nature was a treasured part of my life then, as it is now. As a resident of Chicago, I like to go to Lake Michigan and nature preserves nearby, to commune with nature.

The beauty of the world’s creatures and plants brings me joy, sustenance, and wonderment, so I am devastated by what is happening to our planet. Animals are going extinct from poaching and human encroachment; we are polluting oceans and depleting them of sea life (and the Fukushima Daiichi plant continues to spew nuclear radiation into the Pacific Ocean); our ground water is being used up or contaminated; and, toxins are poisoning our air. As the planet heats up from human CO2 emissions, coral reefs are dying and glaciers are melting.

Shortsighted policies fail to recognize that we need insects, plants, and

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animals. Ant tunnelling aids in decomposition, soil aeration and nutrient recycling. Bees pollinate fruits and vegetables. Bats eat pest insects, and fruit bat guano plays a role in seed dispersal. Birds aid in forest decomposition, pest control, nutrient recycling, plant pollination, and seed dispersal. Plants are a major source of medicine, with many lost forever through rainforest destruction. Plant roots prevent soil erosion, and rainforests produce and hold moisture, preventing drought and desert conditions. These are just a few examples of how we benefit from natural habitats.

I have always admired drawings in biology and science books, with close-ups, cutaways, and instructive illustrations depicting nature accurately and scientifically. After pursuing my MFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, I enrolled in natural science illustration classes and became a member of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators. I loved making watercolour illustrations. While illustrating organisms, I learned about them so in a sense I became a kind of scientist studying nature.

My interest in natural organisms lead to the development of a body of work influenced by dioramas and displays in natural history museums. In one of my works, titled Deep Down, I have created a

cutaway in a cube that shows a chipmunk (covered with fur) living underground along with a worm, rock, and plant roots.

A second side of the cube shows a snake, above and underground. The third side reveals an anthill above ground, and the colony tunnels underground. And the fourth side has a plant, cicada, plant roots, and a worm underground.

In another work, titled In My Backyard (pictured), I have created a reproduction of a log made from epoxy clay, a reproduction of a wild beehive and bees, and a garden hose, all connected with industrial gas piping. On the right side of a pipe is a cube, with paintings of a housing development, a microscopic close-up of red blood cells, and a Japanese beetle on a leaf. A globe covered in mushrooms hangs from a chain from the cube. In this work, I am exploring systems impacted by man’s activity.

Other works such as Factory Farm (on p.55) and Fracking point to systems of man that are wreaking havoc on the environment. Runoff from factory farms is creating algae blooms in the ocean, GMO crops are killing helpful insects and creating super weeds, and fracking is polluting water wells with natural gas and causing earthquakes. Bees are being sickened and disrupted as they are trucked all around the country to pollinate fruit trees.

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In M y Ba c k Yard 4 5 ” x 3 2 ” x 13”, metal p i p e , w o o d and mixed media.

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Sp e l l i n g B e e 3 3 3 /8 � x 19� x 2 ½ ", mi xed media.

Spelling Bee imagines a larger than life genetically modified bee that can spell and is making a hive in the shape of the letter B. Under the present Trump administration, with its stated goal of shutting down the EPA, we will lose important protections. Trump wants to reverse the Clean Air Act, cut energy efficiency rules, allow dumping of coal ash into waterways, eliminate car fuel efficiency requirements, and permit the use of lead-based bullets, killing eagles who might feed on contaminated animal carcasses. He has already signed an executive order to reverse the Clean Water Rule, wants to roll back the Endangered Species Act, is reversing bans on harmful pesticides and chemicals, and backing the oil and gas

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industries regardless of their negative impact. Deregulation primarily benefits corporate interests, not the people, not the planet. Trump is not thinking about leaving a healthy planet as a legacy for his children and grandchildren. Denying climate change will delay crucial steps to reverse it. This is unacceptable, and we must fight these ill-conceived, poorly informed policies.

As an artist, it is important to me to make work that addresses these issues. My work celebrates the beauty of nature, while at the same time pointing out the impacts of human activity. My hope is that by connecting with my art, others will realize how important the continued existence of all manifestations of life is for the survival of our planet and its people. THE EARTH ISSUE

Facto ry F arm 45 ” x 3 4 ” x 1 7 ’, metal pipe and mixed med ia.

About Victoria Fuller C h i ca g o a r tist Victo ria Fulle r h as an MF A from th e Sch ool of th e Art I n s ti tu te of C h i c a g o, a n d f e l l ow s h i p a w a r ds f r om th e C ol or a do C ou n c i l on th e A r t s a nd H u m a n it i e s, and the Illino is Arts Cou n cil. Sh e also received an Illin oi s Ar ts C ou n c i l C AAP G r a n t, a n d w a s a r e s i de n t a r ti s t a t Sc u l ptu r e Spa c e i n Uti c a , N Y a nd R a g d a l e F o undatio n in L ak e Forest, IL. Her large-scale p u blic scu lptu r e “ Sh oe of Sh oe s ” i s i n th e c ol l e c ti on of C a l e r e s Sh oe s i n St. Lou i s . Sou n d T r a ns i t i n S ea t t l e com m i ssio ne d ano the r larg e - scale scu lptu re, “Global Gard en Sh ovel, ” a n d s h e w a s c om m i s s i on e d by C om e d to c r e a te th e s c u l ptu r e “ Pe a s a n d Q u i et . ” I n 2 0 1 6 s he w a s f e a t u re d in Sculpture Magazin e’ s May issu e, as p art of th e sh ow “ D i s r u pti on ” a t G r ou n ds For Sc u l ptu r e i n H a m i l ton , N J . H e r m os t r e c e n t l a r g e - s c a l e p ub l i c scu l p t u r e , title d ”Cano e Fan,” is in stalled alon g th e Hu ron River in Ann Ar bor , M I .

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There is a River There is a River, brings together four photographers adopting an investigative and/or research-based approach in their work. Merging journalistic imagery and personal narratives, they examine specific cases in which people have been deeply impacted by nature, or vice versa. In their own ways, these photo-documentary pieces illuminate the fluid relationship between our natural landscapes and our socio-cultural ones, narrowing in on the spaces where the two realms overlap.

Martyn a W Ăłj cik- Ĺš mi er s k a , T o ur i s t

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“There was a love of the land that I noticed whilst seeing people’s daily routines. I was struck by the dedication to living in this way, and decided it was something I wanted to celebrate through my photographs.”

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Tierra Solida

Aloha Bonser-Shaw Photographs an Alternative Community Living Off-Grid in Andalucia Words & Photography by Aloha Bonser Shaw

British photographer Aloha Bonser-Shaw was born under an almond tree in the South of Spain, next to the tipi where her parents were living. Here, in an alternative community called Beneficio, travellers gathered from around the world seeking a spiritual alternative to modern society and a communal lifestyle carved out in harmony with nature.

“I had a very idyllic early childhood, with many other children to play with in nature, picking wild fruits and foods, with lots of attention from the adults and a supportive community.”

Bonser-Shaw’s parents moved away from Spain when she was two, but years later (in her third year studying at the University of Brighton) she found herself drawn to the mysterious place from her past.

“I had none of my own memories of Beneficio, but my parent’s romantic stories of living beneath a canvas roof evoked an idealised description of what I might find. I had imagined bathing in small rivers, eating almonds, oranges and fruits from the trees that grew upon the mountains. I imagined the small paths we would climb to get to villages nearby, the communal meals and songs shared around fires in the evenings.”

Not only was Bonser-Shaw curious about her birthplace, but also about the day-to-day realities of off-grid living, which motivated her to spend a month in

Andalucia where she would work on her final university project. She returned, camera in hand, to capture a portrait of the people of Beneficio, and their relationship to the natural landscape.

“I didn’t have many expectations, curiosity was the main feeling, also a feeling of wanting to complete something - which was to see for myself where I had come from. I was aware that my family album of early photos was not like any of my friend’s family albums!

The images of naked people, tipis and wild mountainside, made me realize I had an unusual beginning so this was also a motivation to go and visit.”

In the past nineteen years, the community had grown significantly, and in many ways had changed from the idyllic paradise depicted in her parents’ photographs. The valley was now separated into groups of residents from many different countries, with different ideals and a range of motivations upholding their lifestyle choices.

However, a shared desire for a deeper connection to the natural world was still a driving force among the residents Bonser-Shaw encountered there.

“There was a love of the land that I noticed whilst seeing people’s daily routines. I was struck by the dedication to living in this way, and decided it was something I wanted to celebrate through my photographs.”

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Beneficio began as a holiday destination for the Tally Valley residents of the South Wales Tipi Village, and grew over the years to accommodate travellers from around the world - predominantly Europeans and occasionally local Spanish people. Today, the majority of residents live in the community fulltime or for several seasons. The rest are nomadic, spending shorter periods of time in Beneficio before travelling on.

“The main principle is that everyone is welcome. It is like a small village with residents living in different structures, with varying degrees of permanence.

There is a bakery, and fruit and vegetables are grown on the land. There is one main tipi, which visitors are welcome to stay in and often there is a meal, which anyone is welcome to share and contribute to financially. The community politics are very fluid, based more on good intentions with a few basic rules, which were no weapons, and no alcohol. The main reason for living in this community was to be living as close to the earth as possible, in a simple way and for there to be no

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hierarchy. Spiritual inclinations often seemed to be a drive, as well as wanting to slow down and be more connected to the natural environment, and to leave the consumerist society behind.”

A typical day in Beneficio involves activities centred around craftsmanship, food production and creativity. Residents collect firewood for cooking and warmth, garden during the day, and work on collective projects. Many of the long term residents have constructed their own homes, and live self-sufficiently on their personal or shared food production. Spending time together, socializing, and playing music are also important activities that maintain the social cohesion of the community.

“The diet is predominantly vegetarian.

Drying fruit, foraging, and preserving techniques are used. Vegetables are grown and there were many fruit and nut trees on the mountainside – when I visited there was an abundance of citrus fruit growing. Busking, selling bread and crafts was a way of making money for extra food,

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which was brought from the local market once a week.”

Documentary photography plays a fundamental role as a tool for exploring alternative realities, and presenting ways of life which may offer different perspectives to our own. To Bonser-Shaw, returning to Andalucia to photograph the residents of the Beneficio community has had a deep influence not only her photographic work, but also on her way of life and relationship with the natural world.

“I feel that this kind of lifestyle is a really important way of re-focusing values and promoting off-grid living, by maintaining the land in a gentle and positive way.. The current limitation is in many countries building

regulations and land laws prevent people living on the land in a sustainable, ecological, and affordable way.

Living off grid feels like a really inspiring and creative approach to accommodation, and is congruent with the desire to live with as little negative impact on the earth as possible. This lifestyle requires a certain degree of physical activity and practical skills, and means one is outside more frequently. The trip to Beneficio inspired me profoundly. So also have my parents and many family friends, who have exposed me to different alternative living structures –including trucks, horse-drawn wagons, yurts, caravans, straw-bale and round houses. This has influenced my current choice of living on a narrowboat, which I continuously move through the canals of London. THE EARTH ISSUE

From Where I Am Looking At You (I Can Not See You)

Carlos JimĂŠnez

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Trees as a Living Picture: Scenes of Anémomorphose Words by Tomoki Yamauchi & Photography by Carlos Jiménez

Illustration 30 of Michel Foucault’s Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison contains an image of a tree whose form has been altered, taken from a book by an 18th Century doctor. The tree had naturally grown crooked and is shown tied to a support to straighten it. This tree (that is, a “body”) is gradually and thoroughly re-shaped by the forces of discipline and order, thus becoming a “living picture” within an enclosure, just as Foucault described.

Taking a look at traditional gardens of Japan, one is sure to see many old, strangely shaped pine trees—mainly Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii) and Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora), or a hybrid of these. Those who have experience taking care of trees would notice from the condition of the branches and leaves that they have undergone careful trimming and pruning of the buds; even the number of leaves has been carefully controlled.

The development of these extremely refined pruning techniques, centered in the Kyoto area, occurred because the scale of the pines and other trees and shrubs had to be reduced in keeping with the size of Japanese gardens. (Bonsai and bonkei are extreme examples of this.) Managing the height of sprouts reduced the overall size of the plant once it was grown and kept internode lengths shorter. Removing the leaves also makes the plant more visually pleasing up close. One can almost see through it without obstruction, which reduces the oppressive feeling of small spaces by enabling a view of to the other side.

The most highly valued among the plants of a traditional garden, and also the tree that requires the most time and effort to maintain, is the pine. However, taking care of pines goes beyond the pruning described above. To create the twisted tree forms that one often sees, and in order to support the trees’ aging trunks,

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pines are sometimes bound multiple times with rope made from fibres of the palm (Trachycarpus). (This may reflect the “male gaze”—inherent control through the enforcement of order and standards—of the artisans involved.)

In Japan, these plants are forced into bizarre forms, and the older they become, the more they are prized. There is something at work here beyond just simple decisions in tree management.

In Japan, pine trees are prized as a source of lush greenery even in winter; they can be found as the subject of waka poems as well as paintings. At New Year’s they are used decoratively as kadomatsu in the entrances to people’s homes. Older pine trees that have advanced in years are seen as sacred things of the kami; trees such as the famous Yogo-no-matsu are thought to be yorishiro, sites where the kami can come down to our world. The majority of pines seen in Japanese paintings are older trees, including those in the backdrops of sacred scenes of the kami in Noh plays, which in fact were originally depictions of Yogo-no-matsu at the Kasuga Grand Shrine. Also, in the Noh plays produced

by Zeami, such as “Oimatsu” and “Takasogo,” a pine spirit appears as the personification of old pine trees. These cultural traditions cannot be ignored when considering the pine tree that endured the tsunami from the Tohoku earthquake—the “miracle pine”—and its reasons for being preserved even after it died as a medium for people to feel a type of spiritual connectedness.

It isn’t hard to imagine why, in this cultural context, the pines seen in Japanese gardens are given an esteemed position and maintained so that they might live to old age. Many depictions of pine trees are, like those seen in gardens, contorted and bent, suggesting that paintings and actual gardens have imitated one another. Most likely, the gardeners copied what they saw in

paintings, and painters copied what they saw in gardens—just like the painters of the Renaissance, who referenced the plants of the Medici family’s garden.

However, there is one other point of interest. Pine trees naturally grow almost straight, with branches and leaves extending out geometrically.

However, unlike the trees shown in Foucault’s book, these symbolic Japanese pines have been “corrected” into a deformed shape.

In traditional gardens of Europe, fruit trees are heavily pruned. The major branches are made into a grid shape using the same techniques as those used on hedges. By manipulating the plant’s shape, the disorder of nature is being forced into conceptual order, just as seen in the illustration in Discipline and Punish. In contrast, the pine trees in Japanese gardens show an inverted relationship between order and disorder.

That is not to say that Japanese gardens are “closer to nature” than their European counterparts. Rather, the Japanese pines show a level of artificiality exceeding that of European fruit trees. Perhaps one could say that, in their case, the order of nature is being forced into conceptual disorder.

Then again, maybe not. Originally the view provided by the ocean served as a major source of ideas for Japanese gardens; islands are added to lakes, for example, in order to make them appear more like the ocean, as seen with Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture.

Sakuteiki, a theoretical gardening guide written during the Heian Period, explains that when creating rock islands, one should plant “pine trees that are not too tall, that are ideally old, and that have a deep green colour” in the spaces between the rocks. This is mentioned because pines are the representative trees that tower over Japanese rock islands and beaches. The suggestion

that the trees be old yet also short draws to mind pine trees that have been transformed by strong ocean winds and a harsh environment. Due to salt damage and a lack of nourishment, the trees’ growth would be stunted, growing low in order to avoid the wind from the sea.

Growing amidst the natural topography of cliffs and rock islands, the pine trees would be crooked and bent.

Moreover, Chinese paintings had a major influence on Japanese artists—and the same goes for gardens. There are many indications that painters at the time made trips to China or learned how to draw from Chinese reference books. Take, for example, the pine tree Huangshan, which was the subject of various illustrated literary works in China.

Like the pines on the coast, this pine tree grows on a rocky surface with nothing to obstruct the wind, which repeatedly batters and bends its branches. This rugged, rocky environment creates the same form found in pine trees in gardens throughout Japan.

In other words, trees that have undergone the transformation referred to as “anémomorphose” in French provide the basic form for the oddly shaped pines of Japanese gardens.

Within the disorder of nature, their form of order (“ideally old”) was recognized, thus becoming representation.

Of course, gardens and paintings cannot be understood simply as imitations of nature. The pine trees’ forms are seen through the intermediary of technique— whether pruning or the method of painting—and these techniques construct the forms independently.

Through these intermediaries, we in turn perceive a state of anémomorphose in the misshapen trees. The eccentricity of the pine trees in Japanese gardens is also one example of a “living picture,” manifesting itself in the network of nature’s plural forms.

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An interview with Carlos Jiménez Could you give us a brief introduction to yourself, and your background in photography?

I am a Spanish photographer and filmmaker based in London.

After having finished my degree in Fine Arts from Madrid, I permanently relocated to London, where I graduated from the Royal College of Arts. There I was taught by inspirational professors throughout my studies, such as Magnum’s photographer Cristina Garcia Rodero in Madrid, as well as Sarah Jones and Rut Blees Luxemburg in London. Being exposed to these practices, have developed a fluctuation in my work between documentary and fiction; I would like to think of my work as storytelling, conceptually based around anthropological themes, and with strong formalist aeshetics.

What took you to Japan to create this series?

My trip to Japan occurred thanks to an exchange that the Royal College of Arts had been developing for several years. I applied with a project on the Kyoto Protocol, more specifically on its gender representation. The project was intended to link the failure of the agreement with the disproportionately masculine presence within it.

I had anticipated some difficulties photographing places and people as a foreigner, but once I got to Japan I found it almost impossible to create a body of work that was somehow representative of my original idea. While being there, I was also working on a side project, which quickly gained momentum.

Whilst being able to connect to more people, I started to focus on this project more, and in turn, it ended up merging with my original concept. Although I had to adapt some ideas, the original project was approached in a similar way: gender roles, constructed structures, and their relation to nature. Perhaps I was naïve, and overly ambitious with my original intentions, but it led me to create a project and explore a topic that I am extremely proud of.

Did you have a strong personal relationship with nature before this project, or did it develop as a result your research in Japan?

Nature has increasingly become a subject matter in my personal projects throughout the last years, and has shaped my practice as a photographer. Before I studied Fine Arts, I was studying Biology at university and before that I had studied Natural Science in high school. I wanted to specialize in Ecology before deciding to change career paths. I grew up near a national park in the south of Spain, and I used to go camping with my parents during school breaks. On Sundays, we used to go for long walks in the mountains. It has not been

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until recently that I put all these things together and embrace nature as a component in my professional work. I find peace in nature now as I live near a big park in London, I go to the forest often and I have started taking nature more seriously as a theme in my work. In the future I would like to take commissions that get deeper into the issues of how modern living is affecting our relationship with nature. We replicate nature in a more or less conscious manner and almost any subject can be explored through nature in some form. It demands a degree of observation that it is very in tune with my way of seeing my practice nowadays..

How do you select which themes to pursue in your documentary photography?

There are topics that speak to me because of my own experiences with them, or the lack-thereof. It’s a constant battle between representing a story as honestly as possible; being as objective as a camera can be, and allowing yourself to be playful in the way you approach a narrative. Inspiration can be drawn from the news, a story, a talk or a poem, but somehow my focus is drawn towards power structures and their representation, human/nature condition and the way these dualisms interact. Perhaps these fields are increasing in complexity the more they are explored. They are intrinsically connected and allow me to produce a framework for my work. I am not interested in “trends” per se, unless they have a relationship to something I am photographing long-term. I have recently come to terms with my photographic practice - something that many photographers struggle with, I think.

In a world overloaded with information, styles and forms of representation, it doesn’t always come easily.

Are there any other environmental or social issues you’d like to eventually focus on with your photography?

Narratives relevant to political debates, are getting more of my attention recently. In my opinion, we need to engage with the current state of the world. I work on commissioned projects of different kinds, but my self-awareness of being a white male photographer means my work comes with a social responsibility. It would be very selfish to ignore this and not try to be part of the solution. I’m constantly brainstorming about how to use it in an effective manner and also create a body of work where I can see myself reflected in. For me, photography is a mediator between myself and the world, so I like to see the struggles, beauty and raise questions within my work, before and when approaching a topic. Power and representation are key elements in my work and hopefully I will be able to understand them better as I get older and carry on shooting.

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Did you notice any difference in the way urban communities engage with nature in Japan, as compared to London?

The good thing about traveling and comparing societies is an exposure to how similar humans behave in different parts of the world. There is this phrase that says: “nationalism is fixed by traveling” which I am very fond of. The way communities deal with nature superficially seems very different, yet, I found Japan to be extremely similar to London or Spain. People surround themselves with nature within the constraint of their resources.

In Japan people create ‘mini-gardens’ in pots in front of their houses. They are delicate and reproduce nature in a domestic realm. In London, the arrangements are different but the principle is the same: people take pride of their gardens, whether in Spain, where potted plants also decorate the facades and patios. Gardens speak about the people living inside the houses, but they also represent the deep connection we have with nature. We like to be surrounded by it. We have included nature in our history, in arts, in politics, etc. It is great to travel around the world and know that any major park, on a holiday, will be full of people walking around, just wondering and enjoying being there for the sake of being surrounded by trees and plants.

I think when we surround ourselves with nature we come closer to understanding who we are.

What struck you most about the decorative plants you observed in Kyoto?

Something that was fundamental at the beginning of this project for me, was how much we can understand about a culture if we see the way it treats nature. As a foreigner in Japan, I could not speak the language, and being there for a limited amount of time meant that looking at things and searching for meaning was the only way I could try to understand Japanese culture. I just started to scratch the surface of the Japanese relationship to nature, but I think that thanks to observing how palaces and temples used nature historically, I am able to understand a lot about the problems modern Japan is currently facing. Questions as to how Japanese culture embraces nature, and at the same time attempts to control it to an unnatural degree; showing how applied control in regards to nature is similar to the control applied to social rules. I think, this is one of the reasons this project has been successful to me: because it isn't only about gardeners and what they do to the trees they are taking care of, it runs parallel to how modern Japan is constrained by the ropes of tradition, yet their nature is in constant fight with these structures.

From your conversations and observations while creating this series, what are some of the ways plants transcend their decorative functions in Japan?

Some of the gardens and trees are extremely special to the city and its citizens. Historically they are powerful and represent power, wealth and culture. Some of the tree arrangements and flower arrangements, such as Ikebana, even if decorative, indicate social class, power or are considered of the same level of beauty as a painting. They are decorative in a profound way that maybe we, in the west, can’t totally relate.

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“Perhaps that's my ideal, being in a natural environment that moves me, that affects me in an emotional level, knowing that I can not control it.”

For example, there is this big tradition of wrapping presents in Japan. The way the present is wrapped, says a lots of things about the person giving the present and its relationship to the person receiving it. For us, the wrapping of a present is just a decorative element. Transport this principle to a garden, a plant, a flower arrangement, and you will understand that in Japan, decorative elements are full of meaning. I liked that view of the world. We put our emotions and thoughts in every single aspect of our life, even in what can be considered minor details. The way nothing seems minor in Japan is overwhelming and extremely sensitive to me.

What is your personal "nature ideal?”

I don't think I hold a nature ideal. My first encounter with nature was in the Mediterranean landscape, where we tend to let nature grow wild and adapt to it without shaping it too much.

That being said, Jaen, where I am from, produces olive oil as our main industry, so we have massively reshaped the landscape to fit the economy without taking any other consideration into account. I have travelled to countries with different approaches to nature and found beauty in almost every landscape. At this moment, water, the sea and oceans is where I find the ultimate calm and beauty. I have started to swim religiously all year round as a meditation practice and I am starting to brainstorm about what to do with it as I don’t think I feel as at home anywhere else as when I am surrounded by water.

Ultimately we can’t fully control water and that is something that catches my attention due to my inherent interest in power relationships. Perhaps that's my ideal, being in a natural environment that moves me, that affects me in an emotional level, knowing that I can not control it. I welcome the sensation of feeling small and powerless against it.

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Which is your favourite image from the series, and what makes it special to you?

Tree Arrangement I is my favorite image. It is not a portrait of a person, nor is the arrangement or composition particularly elegant, but somehow, for me, it is the most delicate and expressive one. It was the last image I took on the first day of shooting at the Daikaku Garden in Kyoto - I was tired and just about to leave the garden. Having seen that tree many times that day and not having photographed it, lingered in the back of my mind. While packing away my gear I realized I couldn’t leave without photographing it. The image speaks to trusting your gut instincts, about pushing yourself past fatigue, about resilience and trust. It was one of the first images I took that spoke to me and gave me confidence about pursuing the project.

It is an appendix of all the information in the project but it refers to all the issues I wanted to explore: Japan´s cultural imposition on nature, nature itself resisting and adapting, and the fragility of this world, in particular the fragility of Japanese masculinity. Of course there is beauty in this relationship as well. Formally, it also has the entire color palette I have used in the series. THE EARTH ISSUE

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Andrés Donadio Visiones del Salto Words & Photography by Andrés Donadio

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The Salto de Tequendama (Tequendama Fall) is an iconic place of the Colombian landscape and is part of the collective mind of its inhabitants. The Salto was originally a place of worship for the pre-Hispanic indigenous groups. During past centuries it was one of the most emblematic symbols of the country, before being confined in oblivion for several decades at the end of the twentieth century. It is a very complex place, full of history and legends. It is a place almost impossible to represent, where premises and hypotheses coexist in the middle of an indistinguishable fog.

Following the intrigue of this deep fog, Donadio’s images seek to present a personal perspective on this majestic but misunderstood territory. A place that is also symbolic of the situation of the country: a beautiful place, which ended up being emblem of decadence and which is currently in a long process of environmental recovery.

In “Niebla: Visiones Del Salto” we find archive images that show, but also question, various representations of this multi-faceted place. These images find themselves stifled in a vast cloud of little incidents, impossible to dissipate, which surprise and confuse at the same time.

Rather than generating new knowledge, the work represents an unfinished exploration of the nebulous enigma surrounding the Salto. The author hopes the impossibility of representation acts here as a counterpoint that can lead the viewer to debate preconceived ideas that remain anchored in the vast collective imagination related to this Colombian landmark.

Francisco José de Caldas writes in reference to the Salto de Tequendama: “... Enchantment and horror are undoubtedly painted on all its faces.

It seems that nature was satisfied to mix the splendor and the beauty with the terror and fear, in this masterpiece of his hands.” THE EARTH ISSUE

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Ab o u t An drĂŠs Donad i o: B orn in Colombia in 1986, An drĂŠs Don adio is a v i s ua l a r t i s t w h o focus e s on e x p l or i n g t h e r e p r e s e n t a t i on of con t e mp or a r y l a n d s c a p e s. H e is al so inte re sted in th e limits of ph otography an d t h e e x p a n d i n g p os s i b i l i t i e s of t h e d i gi t a l a ge . Don a d i o com p l e t e d h i s M F A i n P h o to gra phy at the N ational S chool of Ph otography, Arles in 2012 an d a M a s t e r i n A r t s a n d C ul t ur e a t N ov i a U n i v e r s i t y i n 2016. H e h a s e x h i b i t e d hi s wo r k i n F r anc e , I tal y, B e l g ium, Netherlan ds, Lithu ania, Latvia, Japan , C ol omb i a , a mon g ot h e r s . H e i s cur r e n t l y b a s e d b e t w e e n P a r i s a n d A r l e s . H e i s re p r e s e n te d b y the L H oste Ar t Contemporain gallery.

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Jonas Marguet’s Plant-Based Photography and a Note on Biophilia Words by Maela Ohana & Photography by Jonas Marguet

From the Dutch tulip craze and its resulting Vanitas bouquets to Matisse’s abstract cutouts of his split-Leaf Philodendron, from Georgia O’Keefe’s modernist orchids to Robert Mapplethorpe’s eroticized representations of tulips and calla lilies, plants have occupied a blooming space in the history of art and visual aesthetics. As inherently fluid symbols, the allure of the plant lies partly in its ability to be take on a wide range of meaning: be it political or sensual, transgressive or hedonistic, frivolous or deeply poetic.

Jonas Marguet is among a new generation of photographers translating the natural world into a modernist framework, placing his botanical subjects somewhere between formalism and abstraction.

The sculptural and decorative qualities of plants make them ideal for drawings contrasts between the artificial and the natural in their lived environments in homes, in cities, or in the wild. When represented in a way that mirrors the highly constructed aesthetics of set design, as they often are in Marguet’s work, this contrast is further exaggerated.

Decontextualized, the focus is pared down to the plants’ most elementary properties - their form, colour, and their patterned composition within a fixed frame..

House plants have shared a longstanding relationship with the art of arrangement, since their original intention was to replicate our idealized notions of “the outside” within a domestic space - all while maintaining an appeal to culturally determined aesthetics. The artistic link between nature and artifice has been normalized and at time even institutionalized, such as in the Japanese art of flower arrangement, Ikebana. Yet, the presence of plants within the artistic landscape also helps nurture an intimate relationship between humans and nature, an escapist reminder of our primal connections to the wild.

Indeed, our human fascination with flora runs much deeper than our the

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appreciation of its aesthetic qualities.

According to the German psychoanalyst Erich Fromm and American biologist Edward O. Wilson, the tendency of humans to affiliate with nature and things that are alive is genetic. As our lives are increasingly enclosed in cities and therefore disconnected from larger expanses of wilderness, we look to “nearby nature;” parks, gardens, houseplants, to fulfil these biophilic predispositions.

The presence of plants in the art world also speaks to a broader cultural awareness of environmental issues.

Artists can invoke intuitive feelings of stewardship towards the natural world, or a critique of our lack-thereof, by way of harnessing the visceral power of image-based storytelling. Marguet’s Biotopia series calls into question the darker side of biophilia, by documenting the contrived reproductions of nature in

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botanical greenhouses. In these artificial “mini-worlds” nature is domesticated with a series of devices designed to control its natural flow, and to confine it within utopian ideals of wilderness. The production of ‘representation ecology’nature which exists purely as a replica of its wilder and more authentic form, is presented as a physical markers of man’s desire to manipulate nature for human enjoyment or benefit.

open to the public. While walking in these immense greenhouses, Marguet listed the systems used to domesticate the vegetation. He then sought to build a visual universe synthesized his critique of this “false nature;” artificial, forced and maintained by Man. Biotopia as a whole calls attention to our highly objectifying and consumption-driven relationship with the natural world. THE EARTH ISSUE A b out Jon as M ar g ue t : B or n i n S w i t z er l an d i n

The Biotopia series began at a giant environmental complex, the Eden Project, located in the South-West of England.

Housing the three biggest greenhouses in the world, the complex represents the largest sample of captive biodiversity

1982, Jon a s M a r gue t i s t h e r e ci p i e n t o f m u l t i pl e a w a r d s for h i s p h ot ogr a p h i c a n d d es i g n w o r k i n cl ud i n g t h e S w i s s F e d e r a l De s i gn A w ar d, t he V F G P r i x d e s Je un e s t a l e n t s for h i s s er i es o f w o r k „ B i ot op i a ,“ a n d t h e S w i s s De s i gn A w ar d i n Bas el .

H e i s cur r e n t l y b a s e d i n La us a n n e , S w i t z er l an d.

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We are part of a system driven by power, money and exploitation, where personal gain is often prioritised over the wellbeing of our planet. We are part of a growing movement that challenges this status quo, and we hope that you’ll join the discussion.

Thank you.

© 2018 The Earth Issue