‘Two Islands’ is a creative research project exploring the impact of de-industrialisation, economic deprivation and climate breakdown, centred on two island communities. Lipari, a volcanic Sicilian island and Portland, a tied island off Dorset, England are separated by thousands of miles but connected through synergies.
Each island is strategically located and has therefore been made use of by powerful players throughout history. The community on both islands did depend on mining for their livelihoods. Mining on Lipari, kaolin clay for medicinal and industrial use and pumice, stopped over 20 years ago. Mining of Portland stone continues, but is now highly mechanised and the few people employed are mostly brought in from the mainland.
Both island communities are now heavily dependent on tourism to survive and the consequent economic unease and deprivation that brings. Both islands suffer from significant underinvestment in any alternative infrastructure and that means local communities are finding it hard to survive.
The islands of Lipari and Portland are both also subject to the effects of climate breakdown. Rising sea levels coupled with extreme weather is bringing increased flood risks to critical infrastructure, driving the potential isolation of these islands and accelerated erosion of their coastlines.
This project is in its early research and development phase. I plan to
develop my skills in moving image camera, location sound and stills photography to support my creative research to identify the effects of these events on these two islands.
This skills development will support the evolution of
my artistic practice into a more immersive, multi-sensory experience. This opportunity to learn from other disabled professionals will shape the research I will undertake that will inform the development of the next phase of this project. This next phase will be to develop a new body of work, amplifying unheard voices, connecting social, environmental, and cultural themes in a powerful new way.