about
forests on the west coast of new zealand – my favourite part of the world (photo: c fitzgerald, 2012)
my work practice
I make very short films!
I’m interested in how we represent NATURE on FILM – is it possible to create films that convey a more RELATIONAL, empathic earth-view.
My films often reference SCIENTIFIC facts and ideas about environmental issues yet rather than present overtly POLITICAL or scientific documentary (which I believe has largely failed to engage people) I’m interested opportunities provided by some experimental CINEMA (IMAGE and SOUND) that may give audiences space to look at the earth and its communities afresh in its complexity, interconnectedness and dynamism. How such works may operate in new SOCIAL MEDIA FILMIC spaces is also of interest.
I have centered my work on a SLOW ART FOREST project taking place in our small two acre woodland detailing how one may help transform a monoculture conifer plantation into an ecologically & economically sustainable real FOREST (forests have a key role in climate stability and local economies). For many years I have worked alongside professional sustainable foresters and knowledge I have gained informs the work. I have also worked to introduce long term, non clear-fell sustainable FORESTRY POLICY in Ireland in 2012. My forest site is the smallest close-to-nature permanent forest listed on the new Irish Low Impact Sivilculture database in Ireland
Cathy Fitzgerald
NCAD Ireland Visual Culture PhD scholar
http://ncad.academia.edu/CathyFitzgerald
Working PhD title and abstract:
Questions arising from a long term art and ecology project in which film-making has a significant part, have directed an artistic enquiry into the conceptual conventions and limitations of the predominant and what could be called the anthropocentric (human centered) gaze in cinema in how it presents nature. For example, while the nature documentary genre, is popular and has obviously played an important role in nature education and conservation, its overtly anthropocentric, environmentalist gaze and its ecopornographic characteristics have often unwittingly supported and blinded industrial society’s ecocidal behaviour towards the complexly dynamic, interconnected and sensitive ecosystems on which humanity and all other species are part of and on which they depend. As cinema in all its forms has a powerful global position in displaying humanity’s behaviours and perspectives towards other living communities to large audiences, post-environmentalist, ecofeminist perspectives in this Anthropocene age (‘age of man’) of rapid biosphere instability would argue the need to aspire to more bio and ecocentric philosophies and perspectives. As such, in-depth examination of the limitations of an overtly anthropocentric gaze in cultural works such as cinema, are critically overdue, urgent and important in the evolution of cinema that would seek to more ably reflect more considered relations to the more-than-human earth and its inhabitants.
In this qualitative artistic practice and theory enquiry, work to present and examine more recent ecosophical thought and ethics will be examined through an interplay of cinematic experimentation in artists experimental cinema and relevant theory. The artistic practice element of this enquiry will seek to examine the potential of experimental cinema in particular, in retraining perspectives towards a more relational gaze that is more cognisant of the complexity and interdependence of living communities and systems, of which humanity and other species survival depends. These cinematic works will respond to evolving interactions in a long-term art & ecology project that aims to present the transformation of a monoculture conifer plantation into a diverse permanent forest in the artist’s immediate environment. A review of recent ecocriticism as it applies primarily to cinema will be performed, and case studies of works or works-in-process that display or aspire to more ecocentric cinematic perspectives or moments will be examined.
By employing and addressing recent ecosophical ideas/ethics and ecocriticism in specific experimental cinematic practices and works, the enquiry will seek to create and make explicit cultural practices and perspectives that may contribute to more relational cinematic works. Such cultural work will be increasingly important if wider society is to more fully acknowledge and better connect to the fragile, interconnected and interdependent living communities on which all life depends.
Further notes
- contributing to US ecomediastudies.org site from May 2012
- will be presenting my phd work ‘The Home and the World’ art & ecology summit in Devon, June 2012
- regular contributor on art & ecology to the international womens’ art and activism online magazine HercircleEzine.com
- attended the first UK Art and Forest conference (RSA, 2009)
- attended the first international Culture and Climate conference, Culture|Futures (Copenhagen COP15 Climate Summit, 2009). I wrote a review of this conference here. Web support for global culture and climate change initiative for Culturefutures.org ( during 2011)
- Presented work at research conference Will Beauty Save the World, (Bristol, 2010)
- Member of the Univ. West England (Bristol) Land2 Art and Land network
comments about my work
- “Dear Cathy, From our perspective, very good work.” Helen and Newton Harrison 24 Jan 2011
- ‘Thank you so much for your fantastic videos. They are deeply moving in their simplicity. The videos are very moving, – a very clear way of communicating this huge catastrophe on an intimate scale ‘ Kevin Buckland, Art Ambassador, www.350.org Oct 2010. Global grassroots climate and culture change organisation headed by writer/activist Bill McKibben
