Art Meets Ecology: Short Films Represent Ecological Challenges

Tuesday 4 November saw the launch of the RSA’s Arts and Ecology showcase of STOP.WATCH. The event comprised of seven short films, alluding to the fragility of nature and artistically representing ecological problems.

The films were commissioned especially for the internet and represent a unique means of communicating issues the planet faces. Witty, thought-provoking and at times obscure; the films remained an eye-opening take on complex ecological issues. The soundtracks were particularly impressive and engaging on a number of the short stills, all of which can be seen on the Arts and Ecology website.

Most impressive of all was a poem written by Melanie Challenger, (Creative Fellow at the Centre for the Evolution of Cultural Diversity, University College London), about one of the short films entitled Shattered. Melanie spoke of the need to conserve, at the very least document, local, unique extant languages around the world. Languages contain words that convey a particular meaning to a social dynamic peculiar to a given location. When lost, for example a description of the properties of a particular plant or an ailment, then so to is all the associated local knowledge.

Overall, the event provided an opportunity to network with a crowd of interesting and diverse backgrounds, and demonstrated the variety in which scientific issues can be communicated effectively.