Landscapes of Hope. Poster Presentation for Pollen (Political Ecology Network Conference at Universidad de Barcelona and Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.

Olczak, Susie ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9615-5514 (2026) Landscapes of Hope. Poster Presentation for Pollen (Political Ecology Network Conference at Universidad de Barcelona and Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona. In: Pollen Conference Barcelona, 28th June - 4th July 2026, Universidad de Barcelona.

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Abstract

The project juxtaposes landscapes facing climate uncertainty—specifically those experiencing extremes of water scarcity or abundance. Fieldwork has been conducted across both the Global South and Global North, including the Darién rainforest of Panama, the Atacama Desert in Chile. This poster presented practice-based PhD research that investigates the relationship between contemporary perceptions of landscape and the visual arts, positioning art as a critical tool for engaging audiences and communities in dialogue around pressing environmental and cultural questions. Field work in Latin America took place and then work in the Southwest and East of the UK. These locations serve as comparative reference points—through which environmental, cultural, and geopolitical dynamics are explored. By studying regions that have already adapted to hydrological extremes—flood and drought—UK sites can be recontextualized in terms of resilience and adaptive potential. While the physical scale of comparison differs (e.g., the distances between Chile and Panama vs. UK East and West), the global implications of climate change justify these parallels. The research also acknowledges that the Global South faces a disproportionate impact, despite the Global North being largely responsible for historic emissions and environmental degradation. The primary research objective(s) are to explore how sculptural practice can engage with and illuminate critical questions about experiences of landscape within the urgent context of the global climate crisis. To assess how the production/dissemination of artworks can unearth locally distinctive knowledge, highlighting places that have adapted to water extremes as models for visualising hopeful futures.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Poster)
Subjects:	N Fine Arts > NB Sculpture
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > School of Arts, Culture and Environment
Depositing User:	Susie Olczak
Date Deposited:	08 Jul 2026 08:52
Last Modified:	08 Jul 2026 09:00
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/16416

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