News / UWE Bristol
Bristol student shortlisted in international Wildlife Artist competition
A UWE student has been shortlisted for an internationally renowned wildlife artist award for the second time in two years.
Alicia Hayden, who is undertaking a Masters in Wildlife Filmmaking at UWE, was nominated for the ‘Human Impact’ category in the Wildlife Artist of the Year award, an annual competition organised by the David Shepard Wildlife Foundation.
The Human Impact category gives young adults aged 16-22 a platform to make a statement with their art on the impact humans are having on the environment.
is needed now More than ever
Alicia has big shoes to fill – her own – after winning the same category last year, for her work, When the Whale Sang.
Where the Whale Sang explored the impact of anthropogenic noise pollution on whales and its effect on their populations. Through fragmenting whale sounds into sonar noise waves, Alicia illustrated the connection between noise pollution and cetaceans.
Alicia’s piece this year, ‘High lux’ is a commentary on the effect of light pollution on wildlife today, which uses ink and lino to highlight the frenetic movement of moths in light.
Alicia used lino print and ink to reflect the dazzling, chaotic, confusing manner in which moths are attracted to light – Photo: Alicia Hayland
Alicia studied biology at Oxford University before coming to UWE, where she is currently producing her final film, that explores the work of Zimbabwean wildlife artist, Tim Ncube and the impact of his art on the conservation of big game around Victoria Falls.
Alicia is also working on various art and writing projects, including a self-published mini-collection of poems in partnership with The Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and Dynamic Dunescapes, called ‘Every Dune is a Mountain’.
Alicia congratulated her fellow artists in this year’s competition: “I’m really humbled to be a finalist in these awards for the second year in a row; the artworks entered the competition are always utterly stunning and truly thought-provoking, so to be included in a virtual exhibition with some of the top wildlife artists in the world is an honour. I am so excited to have ‘High Lux’ and light pollution bought to the forefront of people’s attentions.”
This year’s competition attracted 1,654 entrants from 850 artists across 55 countries.
Since the birth of the awards in 2008 the Wildlife Artist of the Year competition has raised more than £1.2 millions for conversation partners across Africa and Asia.
Main photo: Alicia Hayden
Read more: Inside the Wildlife Photography of the Year exhibition
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