Practicing Landscape 2: Loch Ossian, March 2018

This practice-led, action-research project was a continuation of Reading Landscape’s first “practicing landscape” trip which took the group to the Cairngorms, Aberdeen, Helmsdale and Orkney in 2015.

Organised and facilitated by artist Lesley Punton, this enabled the group to further engage with planning and developing the group’s aims; to further conversation and dialogue around future projects; and to provide a supportive peer network to discuss research areas of interest.

The fieldwork methodology incorporated production of visual materials/new work, photography, documentation and further work on conference and exhibition planning. Related to the Research Group’s pre-set key themes, members continued the conversation informally addressing research questions:

Q1: How do contemporary art practices engage with (and expand) the theme of Landscape and embodiment? 

Q2: How can such practices work within the contested terms ‘identity and remoteness’ in relation to specific locations?

Q3: What is the role of contemporary art in relation to Ecology and sustainability within the Northern Hemisphere?

Q4: Which practical and creative frameworks are needed to develop and sustain interdisciplinary relationships between artists and other experts?

Q5: What cross-disciplinary practice-led methodologies might emerge in response to Landscape and physical layering of history?

The project’s Primary Objectives on the field trip to Loch Ossian were to:

1) Develop and plan the strategy for future exhibition and conference (original date March 2019) 

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2) Generate material for further research outputs (where relevant)

3) Continue to provide a supportive peer network to share and discuss landscape based practices

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TOP IMAGE: Untitled, Loch Ossian, March 2018, Nicky Bird