Art / Nature
St George’s launches ‘Nature Reconnect’: a programme of talks, films and photography
In a timely programme that celebrates the splendours of the natural world, St George’s will be staging four events for its forthcoming Nature Reconnect strand this October.
The series includes talks, films and images demonstrating “the power and beauty” of the plant and wildlife on our doorstep, as well as masterful shots from marine photographers around the world.
A screening of the Peter Capaldi-narrated documentary Riverwoods: An Untold Story opens proceedings, detailing the current plight of Scotland’s rivers and forests; specifically the critical role of the Scottish salmon population to the ecosystems surrounding them.
is needed now More than ever
A talk from Peter Cairns – conservation photographer and co-founder of the charity Scotland: The Big Picture – will follow, with special emphasis on the power of rewilding to change a damaging narrative.
Cairns will be joined in discussion by local campaigner and author, Mary Colwell.
Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), female, on its migration up river to spawn, in an Environment Agency fish trap (which is a salmon ladder with gates that the staff open once they have recorded the fish).
England: Cumbria, Carlisle, River Caldew, Holme Head weir, November – photo: Peter Cairns
On October 12, Colwell will be in conversation with award-winning photographers Andy Parkinson, Matt Maran and Neil Aldridge, who come together for Fox: Neighbour, Villain, Icon – a wide-ranging discussion exploring our complex history with the fox.
What underpins the negative attitudes to one of Britain’s most notorious, and maligned, predators? And what is the truth of their day to day lives and behaviours? The talk will be peppered with some of the most captivating shots taken by the trio in the past 20 years.
Puffins (Fratercula arctica) swimming underwater. Puffins spend most of their lives at sea and are excellent underwater swimmers, which is how they catch small fish, their main food. , Farne Islands, Northumberland. England, UK. North Sea. July – photo: Alex Mustard
In the final event for Nature Reconnect, internationally lauded marine photographers Tony Wu and Alex Mustard will share their stories, and many of their images, from careers dedicated to capturing life under the sea.
Mustard will be sharing findings from coastal waters around the UK captured during the Covid pandemic; Wu will be showing some masterful shots of whale behaviour, alongside some photographs of lesser known marine wildlife from his home on the Japanese coast.
Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) calf ‘Tahafa’ male with injured pectoral fin and scarred body, with mother. Vava’u, Tonga, Pacific Ocean. COP26 Countdown Photo Competition 2021 Finalist – photo: Tony Wu
Nature Reconnect runs from October 10-14 at St George’s Bristol. More information about the programme can be found at www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk. There are discounted tickets for those booking all four events.
Main photo: Alex Mustard
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