Winner 2020
Lowena Poole
Lowena Poole graduated with a 1st Class BA Honours Degree in Documentary Photography from the University of South Wales in Cardiff and is currently completing a Master’s degree in Photography at the Royal College of Art in London. Concerned with the relationship of humans and the land, her work explores a new way to reflect on pollution and damage to habitat. By bringing the hidden into the visible she reveals the intricacies of the unseen and the dangers of not respecting the foundation of life, our soils.
Stop Time By Smashing Clocks, 2020
‘Upon this handful of soil our survival depends. Husband it and it will grow our food, our fuel, and our shelter and surround us with beauty. Abuse it and the soil will collapse and die, taking humanity with it.’ George Monbiot article, 2015, Sanskrit text written in 1,500 BC.
In addition to the reality of Climate Change, the Earth’s soils are in crisis. Homo sapiens have impacted the balance of the Earth’s biosphere through the excretion of greenhouse gasses, the establishment of historic agricultural methods; and the management of waste through landfill. With mismanagement and accumulating issues, pollution and topsoil depletion have become reality.
The work intends to present a new way to reflect on human pollution and damage to habitat, by bringing the hidden into the visible. The use of infrared film to document historic landfill sites highlights the absorption of infrared radiation, an element of climate breakdown, exemplified by human pollution.
The presence of Fungi in the work is to highlight the importance of this kingdom in the health of the world’s soils. Mycelial structures improve soil structure, enhance the efficacy of plant root connections and replenish the soils with nutrients through decomposition. The web-like structure of fungal mycelia has been named the Earth’s natural internet, showing fractal representations of the interconnected nature of reality, which exists on all scales and in different forms. This kingdom is essential in the health and regeneration of the Earths soils.
In addition to the reality of Climate Change, the Earth’s soils are in crisis. Homo sapiens have impacted the balance of the Earth’s biosphere through the excretion of greenhouse gasses, the establishment of historic agricultural methods; and the management of waste through landfill. With mismanagement and accumulating issues, pollution and topsoil depletion have become reality.
The work intends to present a new way to reflect on human pollution and damage to habitat, by bringing the hidden into the visible. The use of infrared film to document historic landfill sites highlights the absorption of infrared radiation, an element of climate breakdown, exemplified by human pollution.
The presence of Fungi in the work is to highlight the importance of this kingdom in the health of the world’s soils. Mycelial structures improve soil structure, enhance the efficacy of plant root connections and replenish the soils with nutrients through decomposition. The web-like structure of fungal mycelia has been named the Earth’s natural internet, showing fractal representations of the interconnected nature of reality, which exists on all scales and in different forms. This kingdom is essential in the health and regeneration of the Earths soils.
