• Future Landscapes: Blue Carbon Habitat

The future of coastal landscapes is under threat from flooding and sea level rise due to climate change. Currently, large concrete walls are being erected at the edge of rivers and seas to stop flood water from enveloping coastal towns and communities. Whilst researching natural solutions to flooding, I came across articles that discussed the use of oysters and mussel beds as a form of wave attenuation, acting as a first line of defence for coastal flood solutions. I then sought out scientists, research institutes and researchers who specialise in mussels, bivalves and their potential role as natural flood barriers. This body of work is in response to the research undertaken with these scientists and centres around the idea of creating sculptures that will sit at the waters edge, providing structures that promote the growth of mussels and oysters. It questions the future of these environments, positing the potential for positive symbiotic relationships with nature and the planet through the production of these liminal objects. It also questions the future of art production in the face of a world ravaged by global warming.

In the face of climate change, the future of contemporary art stands at a pivotal crossroads, poised to become a powerful catalyst for environmental awareness, activism, and transformation. It is essential to question our ethics, production methods, materiality and practice when confronted with a climate that is changing before our eyes. From exploring the ecological impact of human activities to envisioning alternative symbiotic futures and resilient landscapes, it will be imperative to evolve our practices in order to confront the urgent realities of a changing planet. As the world grapples with the profound ecological challenges of the 21st century, contemporary art emerges not only as a mirror reflecting our collective impact on the environment but also as a beacon illuminating the possibilities for a more harmonious and regenerative relationship with the natural world. This project addresses these ideas by utilising a material that has a rich history and is currently undergoing a transformation to become a more environmentally friendly version of itself.

Steel has been essential for industrial progress and remains crucial for constructing a more environmentally sustainable world, given its versatility, recyclability, and potential for sustainable innovation. By adopting cleaner production methods, promoting recycling, and supporting green infrastructure projects, steel can contribute to global efforts to combat climate change and create a more sustainable future. This body of work explores the potential for steel structures to be made for the habitation of mussels in coastal environments. Sat at the waters edge, these liminal sculptures will provide a structure for these bivalves to thrive and in turn help to defend the surrounding landmass from the effects of climate change. Mussels thrive when growing on steel pipes and mooring chains. This inspired the use of steel for these sculptures, as it will allow the mussels to attach, multiply and flourish. Coastal environments are harsh, and metal and steel suffer from rust and degradation over time if exposed to the elements. While the sculpture will inevitably rust away, its legacy will include an established mussel bed that will benefit the surrounding environment and aid in the fight against climate change. This impermanent intervention in the landscape aims to benefit all life on the planet; the human, non-human and environment alike.

Mussel beds serve as crucial components of coastal ecosystems, offering diverse benefits in the context of climate change. Their functions include carbon sequestration, whereby they capture and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, contributing to mitigating climate change impacts. Additionally, mussel beds act as natural barriers, absorbing wave energy and protecting shorelines from erosion and storm surges. Their dense structure provides habitat complexity, supporting a rich biodiversity of marine life, enhancing ecosystem resilience to climate-related stressors. They also improve water quality by filtering pollutants and excess nutrients from the water column, while stabilising sediments and habitats, thereby aiding in adaptation to sea level rise and increased storm activity. Overall, mussel beds play vital roles in both mitigating and adapting to climate change, underscoring their significance in coastal ecosystem management and conservation strategies. This body of work hopes to emphasise the incredible benefits that mussels have on the landscape and to create something that will benefit the future of all life on the planet.

While researching climate change and looking into the bleak future it paints, I became acutely aware that hope is an essential tool in engaging people in the conversation. By creating sculptures that focused on building something beneficial, that will help to combat the threats that face our landscape and lives, I found it easier to connect with people who would ordinarily avoid talking about these issues. The target audience of this work is anyone that doesn’t have contact with scientists or climate researchers, that feels a responsibility towards saving the world from global warming but may not have the ability to affect change on an individual level. Discussion and engagement is essential if we are to make progress and affect change. There are some really exciting advances in science, technology and research that tackle issues of climate change, and by delving in to the work done by specialists in their field, I was able to distill the information into a visual response allowing it to become more accessible to everyone.

This body of work comes from a place of care. Our planet is facing an increase of extreme weather events, global warming and a myriad of threats all stemming from climate change, and it is really difficult to comprehend this in the context of your own survival. At everyone’s base level, I believe that we all have the capacity for helping out when given the chance. In place of guilt, shame for admonishment this project focuses on the portrayal of hope, of a future where we can live alongside the non-human world in harmony; to live in the world as a part of something bigger than oneself. I wanted to open the doors to research and science, usually shut off from the public, allowing people a peek into the making of something intended as a force for good.