Clyde Reflections - a Film and Audio-Visual Installation

Clyde Reflections is a meditative, cinematic experience based on the marine environment of the Firth of Clyde on the west coast of Scotland. This 33-minute film (http://www.vimeo.com/89793693) opens up space for contemplation by reflecting the unfixed, shifting nature of relationships between people and place. Clyde Reflections was one of 15 projects awarded funding under the 2013 Imagining Natural Scotland initiative which has been created to 'explore the interplay between the natural world and its representation, and promote deep collaboration and knowledge exchange between the creative and scientific sectors.' Produced by the collaborative art-science team of artist Stephen Hurrel and social ecologist Ruth Brennan, the film features underwater and microscopic footage, combined with voice recordings of people who have a close relationship with, or specialist understanding of, the Firth of Clyde. These include a retired fisherman, a marine biologist, a diver, a marine conservationist, a spiritual leader and a physical oceanographer. By engaging with people who connect deeply with their environment, Clyde Reflections presents a multi-perspective representation of a particular marine area in order to challenge a simplistic representation of this environment. The film provides a creative example of how 'landscape' is not a fixed entity, or separate from people, but is dynamic in terms of its socio-ecological properties as well as how it can be perceived. The Imagining Natural Scotland team published a landmark book that provides a visible and tangible record of the project. The book includes images and edited extracts from teams' project work and reflections on their collaborations. This is the chapter about the Clyde Reflections project, made available with the permission of Imagining Natural Scotland.