are there formal/conceptual/theoretical tools that can expand the way we use cinema to present a more comprehensive ecological (ecocentric) ecopoetic view, over and above films that primarily address environmental/conservation themes?
 -examine how methodologies in an art & ecology practice may serve to re-imagine relations/perceptions/politics towards the more-than-human -what potentials are offered by new social networks

1. nature on screen
is it possible to create
cinematic moments/works
that aspire to articulate a
more ecocentric -
ecopoetic way of relating/
perceiving the earth
Martin Salinas Save the humans (2010) Flickr - creative commons
Cathy Fitzgerald
Visual Culture
Theory and Practice
1

2. what are you trying to find out?
1.why is it worth knowing?
2.how do you go about finding out?
3.how will you know when you are finished?
4. dissemination of research

3. 1.what are you trying to find out?
• is it possible to create cinematic moments/works that aspire to articulate a more
ecocentric way of relating/perceiving the earth
• related questions
• are there formal/conceptual/theoretical tools that can expand the way
we use cinema to present a more comprehensive ecological (ecocentric)
ecopoetic view, over and above films that primarily address environmental/
conservation themes?
• examine how methodologies in an art & ecology practice may serve to re-
imagine relations/perceptions/politics towards the more-than-human
• what potentials are offered by new social networks
3
can more ecocentric cinematic forms and global networked filmic spaces reconnect us to a sense of place and planet
are there formal/conceptual/theoretical tools that can expand the way we use film to present a more comprehensive ecological view, over and above films that primarily address
environmental/conservation themes?
what potentials are offered by new social media filmic spaces* to engage global audiences in ecological concerns or to envision more sustainable futures

4. ‘What would ‘green’ film & visual scholarship look like?’
‘it may probe both the limitations and
potentials offered by film and visual
media – including the potential to expand
awareness, empathy, and
understanding across species and
across socio-ecological cultural differences’
Adrian Ivakhiv author of Green Film Criticism and Its Futures,
Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature & Env, Summer, 2008
‘What would a ‘green’ film & visual scholarship look like?’ question the relationship between visual representation and social and ecological reality
it may seek to delineate ‘positive’ versus ‘negative’ images of nature, of environmental activism, and of human-environment relations or
it may probe both the limitations and potentials offered by film and visual media – including the potential to expand awareness, empathy, and understanding across species
and across socio-ecological cultural differences
It would deal with what Andrew Ross has called "images of ecology" - those familiar images of "belching smokestacks, seabirds mired in petrochemical sludge, fish floating belly-up, traffic
jams in Los Angeles and Mexico City, and clearcut forests;
on the other hand, the redeeming repertoire of pastoral imagery, pristine, green, and unspoiled by human habitation, crowned by the ultimate global spectacle, the fragile, vulnerable ball of
spaceship earth"

5. identified area of new research
‘there is much work to be
undertaken by ecocritics interested in
unpacking the environmental means carried
or enabled by, and the constraints and
potentials inherent in film and visual
media’ Ivakhiv, 2008 Green Film criticism and its futures - Int. study in Lit & Env
still: ‘the tree of life’ terrence malick 2010
there is obviously a complex mix of many other cultural formations at play to account for contemporary societiesʼ lack of engagement with the material earth and its systems which we all
ultimately depend upon. Across many domains; anthropology, cultural geography, philosophy, gender studies, to a lesser extent in cultural studies, visual culture etc, there is considerable
debate on this topic. Some argue that humanityʼs move to an agrarian culture was the original problem, others see our division from nature arising from the adoption of language (see
Heidegger to contemporary writer/philosopher David Abrams), others again would argue that the rise of technology/industrialism (Heidegger again) and the philosophical cartesian divide
between nature and culture from the enlightenment period are to blame; and then others view Christianityʼs view of man having dominion over all species was as a theological imperative that
gave license to dominant western societies, to use the earthʼs resources for its own ends; can also describe feminist perspectives, a failure of politics /economists (humanity in general) to fully
realise the finite limits of the earth - capitalism as a completely unsustainable paradigm etc (This paragraph need to be better written, referenced; completed)
ʻremember that the celebration of nature (in film) has often played a part in obscuring an oppressive and even violent historyʼ Nature matters 2007 as much as it has tried to raise awareness

6. Scott MacDonald who coined the word ʻecocinemaʼ in 2004 believes
experimental cinema has potential in
ʻretraining perceptionʼ....allowing an
examination of the conventions of media-
spectatorship (and production) that largely
ignores the earthʼ
6
This enquiry will aim to further the argument first raised by US film theorist Scott MacDonald ʻthat experimental cinemaʼ may be a valuable site for examining current limiting cinematic
conventions in regards to ʻnatureʼ (ASLE journal article, Towards an Ecocinema, 2004, pp) and perhaps offer more in-depth analysis, examples and further directions to consider. Paula
Willoquet-Maricondi extended MacDonaldʼs ideas briefly in a chapter in her very valuable overview (and history) of ecocriticism and film - Framing the World: Explorations in Ecocriticism and
Film (2010)- where she discussed experimental sound-vision artist, Andrej Zdravicʼs 1997 experimental Riverglass film work.
Scott MacDonald who coined the word ʻecocinemaʼ believes experimental cinema has potential in ʻretraining perceptionʼ....allowing an examination of the conventions of media-
spectatorship (and production) that largely ignores the earthʼ
tho some may argue exp. film work is impotent by the time it reaches mainstream, MacDonald & others argue such work is worthy of critical attention; inf the evolution of the cinematic
language exp filmmakers work have been influential on mainstream cinema; Brakhage, Godfrey Reggio- Koyannaquatsi etc
however one needs to be aware too of the cameraʼs notable critics - Heidegger to Sontag who say the camera serves as an instrument of distancing, decontextualising, commodifying,
obscuring the power/politics of things that make up the world Ikahiv 2008 . p17.... what Heidegger called the ʻenframingʼ and ʻconquest of the worldʼ, setting it as a ʻstanding reserveʼ to be be
objectified/consumed
on first glance many would argue that much documentary work has engaged audiences to create films to highlight the beauty/diverstiy of the natural world that we need to conserve etc
a lot of this is unpacked further in Willoquetʼs Maricondiʼs 2010 book Framing the world - explorations in ecocriticism and film, but still only small section on exp film

7. research context - why is it worth knowing
• motivations for enquiry
• arisen from my own art & ecology practice,
involvement in biological science, green politics,
long term forestry and national sustainable
forestry policy development (my biases)
• awareness that there are serious and limiting
conventions how ‘nature’ is culturally mediated
in cinematic material
• awareness of many pitfalls in approaching
‘nature in art work - highly complex and
historically laden
• wished to deepen my practice to examine
cinema more closely, that while informed by
science and politics, creates a space for audiences
to experientially encounter the irreducibility of
‘nature’ and consider afresh the limitations of
how much mainstream cinema generally &
unwittingly presents limited anthropocentric
presentations of ‘nature,’ if it is even considered
in the first place.
motivations for enquiry
arisen from my own art & ecology practice, involvement in biological science, green politics, long term forestry and national sustainable forestry policy development (my biases)
awareness that there are serious and limiting conventions how ʻnatureʼ is culturally mediated in cinematic material
awareness of many pitfalls in approaching ʻnature in art work - highly complex and historically laden
wished to deepen my practice to examine cinema more closely, that while informed by science and politics, creates a space for audiences to experientially encounter the
irreducibility of ʻnatureʼ and consider afresh the limitations of how much mainstream cinema generally & unwittingly presents limited anthropocentric presentations of ʻnature,ʼ if
it is even considered in the first place.

8. 2. why is it worth knowing?
Last week: IEA data is predicting worsening
ecological biosphere conditions even despite the
stalled global economic downturn;
irreversible changes possible now in just 5
years
Martin Salinas Save the humans (2010) Flickr - creative commons
while I’m embedded in the humanities I’m
more interested in our lack of cultural
attention to the more-than-human earth:
there is a crisis in visual culture/film in this
regard
image: Chris Sickles
Unfortunately, the luxury of devoting oneʼs whole self to probing into the wonders of science and the arts is one we can no longer afford. Neither art nor science can thrive in an unstable,
depleted world” (1).
*according to leading science institutions - though how climate disruption will play out is still hard to predict
Professional scientific societies that agree with the IPCC on global warming
*
National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)
NASA
Woods Hole Resesarch Center
US Geological Survey (USGS)
National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)
NASAʼs Goddard Institute of Space Studies (GISS)
American Association of State Climatologists
Federal Climate Change Science Program, 2006 (the study authorized and then censored by Bush)
American Chemical Society – (worldʼs largest scientific organization with over 155,000 members)
Geological Society of America
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
American Association of State Climatologists
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
American Astronomical Society
American Institute of Physics
American Meteorological Society (AMS)
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Stratigraphy Commission – Geological Society of London – (The worldʼs oldest and the United Kingdomʼs largest geoscience organization)
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Royal Society, United Kingdom
Russian Academy of Sciences
Royal Society of Canada
Science Council of Japan
Australian Academy of Sciences
Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Sciences and the Arts
Brazilian Academy of Sciences
Caribbean Academy of Sciences
French Academy of Sciences
German Academy of Natural Scientists
Indian National Science Academy
Indonesian Academy of Sciences
Royal Irish Academy
Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei (Italy)
Academy of Sciences Malaysia
Academy Council of the Royal Society of New Zealand
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Union of Concerned Scientists
The Institution of Engineers Australia
Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society (CMOS)
National Research Council
Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospherice Sciences
World Meteorological Organization
State of the Canadian Cryosphere (SOCC)
International Council on Science

9. ‘critical mass of scientists and artists has never been more sorely needed …
understandably, scientists and artists may be the least willing to be involved in
(environmental) politics, and many, rightly so, consider such involvement to be a
distraction from creativity and inventiveness.
Unfortunately, the
luxury of devoting one’s whole self to
probing into the wonders of science and the arts is one
we can no longer afford.
Neither art nor science can thrive in an unstable, depleted world”
Prof. Maziak Leonardo (2006)
(quote from my research paper networking the arts
to save the earth Visual Artists Ireland (2011),
HerCircle (2011) (leading US internet site on
women’s art and activism)
(quote from my research paper networking the arts to save the earth Visual Artists Ireland (2011), HerCircle (2011) (leading US internet site on womenʼs art and activism)
ʻcritical mass of scientists and artists has never been more sorely needed …
understandably, scientists and artists may be the least willing to be involved in (environmental) politics, and many, rightly so, consider such involvement to be a distraction from creativity and
inventiveness.
Unfortunately, the luxury of devoting oneʼs whole self to probing into the wonders of science and the arts is one we can no longer afford.
Neither art nor science can thrive in an unstable, depleted world”
Unfortunately, the luxury of devoting oneʼs whole self to probing into the wonders of science and the arts is one we can no longer afford.
Neither art nor science can thrive in an unstable, depleted world”

10. More than timely to assess how ‘nature’ is
represented in cinema as cinema is now the
most powerful media we have
For many in urban environments (~ 75% of the
global population), cinematic media (in its
variety of forms) is the main means most of us
have in relating to the material earth and its
systems (on which we all ultimately depend)
More than timely to assess how ʻnatureʼ is represented in cinema as cinema is now the most powerful media we have
For many in urban environments (~ 75% of the global population), cinematic media (in its variety of forms) is the main means most of us have in relating to the material earth
and its systems (on which we all ultimately depend)

11. What type of study will it be?
research will be a qualitative
study, interpreting and analyzing
cultural works that aspire to a more ecocentric and or ecopoetic position
(creating my own & looking at case studies) in the context of an art & ecology
ecocriticism
practice. It will be informed/interact with theory on
(chiefly located in Literary theory), ecosophy (aka ecological
philosophy - deep (Naess, Bates), dark (Morton) to Guattari’s three ecologies)
and film theory using autoethnographic methods recorded &
shared on new social media platforms
research will be a qualitative study, interpreting and analyzing cultural works that aspire to a more ecocentric and or ecopoetic position (creating my own & looking at case studies) in the context of an
art & ecology practice. It will be informed/interact with theory on ecocriticism (chiefly located in Literary theory), ecosophy (aka ecological philosophy - deep (Naess, Bates), dark (Morton) to
Guattari’s three ecologies) and film theory using autoethnographic methods recorded & shared on new social media platforms

12. In this enquiry, through practice and theory,
seeking not the production of new knowledge, but
presenting a ‘process of knowing, a process-oriented
conception of ‘transforming experience’ through
several sites of presentation
• through a dialogue with the media and
production of experimental cinema
• interactions/encounters/perceptions with the
material site (in this case a forest ecosystem)
• through writing:
to document the process of the above, with an in-depth investigation and
survey of ecocriticism as it may apply to cinema
to explore latest thinking in ecosophy (aka ‘eco’logical philosophy) as it may
apply to the ethical position aspired to in an arts & ecology practice as well to
examine it as a means of perceptual change in position in how we relate to the
material earth - phenomenology will probably come into this enquiry
a definition of artistic research may point to other tensions between it and orthodox research; where the ʻgeneral research (undertaken by the artist) uncovers knowledge that was previously
unknown to the individual but known to the field, while academic research aims at uncovering/creating knowledge that was previously unknown to the field (Brown and Sorenson, p.154) who
have written at length about integrating creative practice and research in the digital media arts in Practice-led Research, Research-led Practice in the Creative Arts, (2009).
In this enquiry, through practice and theory, seeking not the production of new knowledge, but presenting a ʻprocess of knowing, a process-oriented conception of ʻtransforming
experienceʼ through several sites of presentation
through a dialogue with the media and production of experimental cinema
interactions/encounters/perceptions with the material site (in this case a forest ecosystem)
through writing:
to document the process of the above, with an in-depth investigation and survey of ecocriticism as it may apply to cinema
to explore latest thinking in ecosophy (aka ʻecoʼlogical philosophy) as it may apply to the ethical position aspired to in an arts & ecology practice as well to examine it as a
means of perceptual change in position in how we relate to the material earth - phenomenology will probably come into this enquiry

13. attending to key
• ecocentric
that the interest of the ecosphere must override
terms /uses of that of the interest of any individual species...In
terms general, ecocentrists hold that 'the world is an intrinsically dynamic,
interconnected web of relations" with "no absolute dividing lines between
the living and the nonliving, the animate and the inanimate". Aspirational
position
• biocentric,
anthropocentric -
consideration of terms help with
to foreground
thinking how
an ecocentric position in
culture, in particular,
cinema
• ‘nature’ contested over
centuries & in various
disciplines
ecocentric
that the interest of the ecosphere must override that of the interest of any individual species...In general, ecocentrists hold that 'the world is an intrinsically dynamic, interconnected web
of relations" with "no absolute dividing lines between the living and the nonliving, the animate and the inanimate". Aspirational position
biocentric, anthropocentric - consideration of terms help with thinking how to foreground an ecocentric position in culture, in particular, cinema
‘nature’ contested over centuries & in various disciplines

14. 2. how do you go about finding out your data?
Proposed methodological framework of the enquiry:
1. Literature review
2. develop art practice works and theory
analysis that responds to the enquiry
3. undertake case study of an experimental cinema work(s) by others,
4. done after a significant part of the literature review has been completed to
expand and support key arguments/methods of practice that are significant
to the enquiry
3 strands to my enquiry Literature review
develop art practice works and theory analysis that responds to the enquiry
undertake case study of an experimental cinema work(s) by others,
done after a significant part of the literature review has been completed to expand and support key arguments/methods of practice that are significant to the enquiry

15. methdological tools:
Autoethnography- a subjective, qualitative
method (from anthropology - tool to
include/record my actions as part of the
research)
to document & present the process and the
interplay between my art & theory work- to
make explicit how I got to my key
arguments/conclusions
Using an autoethnographic method:
created self-reflexive, dated ‘journaling’ space: by posting
on an online niche blog www.ecoartfilm.com that
combines my practice and theory work, also use a visual
notebook as a diary
1. is a way of disseminating my work, building
profile for the area, create audience
2. very active in contributing to online networks in
art & ecology area
methdological tools:
Autoethnography- a subjective, qualitative method (from anthropology - tool to include/record my actions as part of the research)
to document/present the process and the interplay between my art & theory work- to make explicit how I got to my key arguments/conclusions
#
Using an autoethnographic method:
created self-reflexive, dated ʻjournalingʼ space: by posting on an online niche blog www.ecoartfilm.com that combines my practice and theory work, also use a visual notebook as a
diary
is a way of disseminating my work, building profile for the area, create audience
very active in creating online networks in art & ecology area

16. • Practice side of enquiry
I make short films
• moved slowly from human voice-over narratives
about environmental actions to most recent where
the bird ‘tells’ the story of the forest transformation
• however, gaining more awareness of the
impossibility of ‘representing’ something that is
irreducible; a forest is an ecosystem of elements that
extends beyond human comprehension and fences -
• been re-examining works of Robert Smithson; recent
academic theory (Boetzkes, 2010) argues Smithson
works defines that ‘nature’ cannot be located/
represented fully in site-works, films or writings -
ideas that a still not widely acknowledged in much of
art & ecology practice; parallels some philosophical
ethical ideas about ecology
• can see my future experiments might be more
unedited - a webcam for my ‘forest’ might be more
appropriate to capture ‘sightings of my ‘forest’ as I
explore ideas around, ecology, dark ecology,
ecosophy to investigate ideas that aspire to more
ecocentric - ecopoetic positions etc
• posts are slowing building a ‘narrative’ of analysis
from both theory and film as a ‘record’ of my data
analysis
Practice side of enquiry
I make short films
moved slowly from human voice-over narratives about environmental actions to most recent where the bird ʻtellsʼ the story of the forest transformation
however, gaining more awareness of the impossibility of ʻrepresentingʼ something that is irreducible; a forest is an ecosystem of elements that extends beyond human comprehension
and fences -
been re-examining works of Robert Smithson; recent academic theory (Boetzkes, 2010) argues Smithson works defines that ʻnatureʼ cannot be located/represented fully in site-works,
films or writings - ideas that a still not widely acknowledged in much of art & ecology practice; parallels some philosophical ethical ideas about ecology
can see my future experiments might be more unedited - a webcam for my ʻforestʼ might be more appropriate to capture ʻsightings of my ʻforestʼ as I explore ideas around, ecology,
dark ecology, ecosophy to investigate ideas that aspire to more ecocentric - ecopoetic positions etc
posts are slowing building a ʻnarrativeʼ of analysis from both theory and film as a ʻrecordʼ of my data analysis

17. Scope of theory review
aware that in other domains; for e.g. cultural geography, anthropology, theology
debates are occurring on the historical and present divisions between
nature and culture but I believe these maybe outside the scope of this
enquiry to pursue in any depth.
from initial research, it is in literary theory that critiques of
cultural works that aspire to ecological concerns are occurring (over last
15 years) and where more recently cinematic works are being examined that
would both extend my own practice research and where ultimately I could make
a contribution to furthering theoretical knowledge/practice
Scope of theory review
aware that in other domains; for e.g. cultural geography, anthropology, theology debates are occurring on the historical and present divisions between nature and
culture but I believe these maybe outside the scope of this enquiry to pursue in any depth.
from initial research, it is in literary theory that critiques of cultural works that aspire to ecological concerns are occurring
(over last 15 years) and where more recently cinematic works are being examined that would both extend my own practice research and where ultimately I could make a contribution to
furthering theoretical knowledge/practice

18. theory where the
enquiry is most likely
to be situated and
developed
ecocriticism in
literature
ecocriticism in
cinema
ecocriticism in cinema is a very recent area of activity (mid 90s onwards); more recently joined by cultural studies,
media arts, cultural geographers
Key group is the American Assoc. of Env. LIterature (ASLE); has its own journal and sister organisations world wide - have
been supporting/invite people from other fields to examine cinema, visual arts etc for eg media theorist review of ecocriticism
& film ʻFraming the World explorations in ecocriticism & film (2010) writer ack. support of ASLE
ecocriticism in cinema is a very recent area of activity (mid 90s onwards); researchers from literature, where ecocriticism activity has been established over the last ~15 years are
leading ecocritical analysis of culture (more recently joined by cultural studies, media arts, cultural geographers,)
even in ecocritical cinema analysis, key people who have reviewed film ecocritically, like Scott MacDonald, have more often than not a background in literature
Key group is the Am Assoc. of Env. LIterature (ASLE) has its own journal and sister organisations world wide have been supporting/invite people from other fields to examine cinema, visual
arts etc for eg media theorist review of ecocriticism & film ʻFraming the World explorations in ecocriticism & film (2010) writer ack support of ASLE

19. • case study - identify after completion of literature review
• in this enquiry, a deep investigation of another’s work, would be an
important means of more deeply understanding my own film practice/work,
particularly as I see that my own experience and knowledge in filmmaking as
still developing
• very few in-depth case studies of experimental filmmakers looking at natural
phenomena from perspective of another practitioner
• provide more valuable ‘insider’ information rather than information/
theory and would both extend my own practice & theory research
• From the examination of ecosophy and critical analysis of art & ecology
practices a case study also bring new insights into the interpretation and
understanding of key experimental works that engage in encountering
case study - identify after completion of literature review
in this enquiry, a deep investigation of another’s work, would be an important means of more deeply understanding my own film practice/work, particularly as I see that my own experience and
knowledge in filmmaking as still developing
very few in-depth case studies of experimental filmmakers looking at natural phenomena from perspective of another practitioner
provide more valuable ‘insider’ information rather than information/theory and would both extend my own practice & theory research
From the examination of ecosophy and critical analysis of art & ecology practices a case study also bring new insights into the interpretation and understanding of key experimental works that
engage in encountering natural phenomena.
Need to make explicit why one work or a series of works are chosen over others, the context in which the work sits (which could be addressed in the literature review)

20. Conclusion of Enquiry
• How will I know when the enquiry is finished;
• art practice doesn’t end - when a significant body of work
- ongoing critical practice/research methodology is
engrained - see it might all exist online as a narrative of
enquiry rather than exhibitions, that exists on my site and
in the networks that I contribute to and develop
• key indicators - completion of comprehensive lit review,
case study and established a critically body of work in
practice and theory
How will I know when the enquiry is finished;
art practice doesnʼt end - when a significant body of work - ongoing critical practice/research methodology is engrained - see it might all exist online as a narrative of enquiry rather than
exhibitions, that exists on my site and in the networks that I contribute to and develop
key indicators - completion of comprehensive lit review, case study and established a critically body of work in practice and theory

21. • descriptors - my writings are being spread to my peers &
general audiences so far through my sites, have recently also
been taken on a contributing author for art & ecology of 6 yr
old womens arts and activism site HerCircle - audience is
college educated and I’m able to put both my theory and film
work in this sphere
• contribute and support art & ecology networks online
• have all year been deliberating about creating online research cluster for arts &
ecology in Ireland with links to other groups
• as expt created dedicated facebook page on art & ecology; have general audience
close to 500 following
descriptors - my writings are being spread to my peers & general audiences so far through my sites, have recently also been taken on a contributing author for art & ecology of 6 yr
old womens arts and activism site HerCircle - audience is college educated and Iʼm able to put both my theory and film work in this sphere
contribute and support art & ecology networks online - heavily involved in international culturefutures.org working with key policy people (Denmark) in the area
have all year been deliberating about creating online research cluster for arts & eoclogy in Ireland with links to culturefutures but also transitiontown movement

22. follow @
ecoartfilm.com
or facebook.com/ecoartnotes
“A tiny forest in the making, in rural ireland may have something to teach us about
one most important ecosystems on the planet on which so many
of us depend, as well as teaching us a thing or two about the wisdom of employing
a more ecocentric perspective in our cultural activities”
“A tiny forest in the making, in rural ireland may have something to teach us about one most important ecosystems on the planet on which so many of us depend, as well as teaching us a
thing or two about the wisdom of employing an ecocentric perspective in our cultural activities”