Deep Sustainability and the Art & Politics of Forests
Cathy Fitzgerald (NZ/Ireland)
Abstract:
This article describes the work in forest policy development and contemporary arts practice of New Zealander, Irish based experimental film-maker Cathy Fitzgerald. With a background in biological science, Cathy details a long term art & ecology forest project that has also involved her local community and leading European sustainable foresters in rural Ireland. Through an interest in experimental film-making, Cathy’s work reflects on, and collects knowledge of ideas and practices of deep sustainability, capturing the transformation of a monoculture 24 year conifer plantation into a permanent, ever increasing biodiverse forest. This article also references earlier art, ecology and politic projects by such artists as Joseph Beuys and seeks to show that such transdisciplinary methods can work across and have influence in how we individually and collectively better perceive, relate and tend our environments both in policy and practice.
