In the framework of a partnership between Edinburgh University and IUCN Urban Alliance, students of Edinburgh College of Art have created a series of experimental short films exploring the theme of ecological urbanism. The trailer and synopsis of one of the films are outlined below. The full-length films will be screened at the Urban Planet Pavilion during the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Marseille, France, in September 2021.
Logline
Exploring micro and macro hydrology within the urban environment, ʻConfluenceʼ portrays the often concealed relationships between human and non-human species.
Utilising split-screen technology, artists Ana Parrodi and Scott Hunter blur perceived boundaries between nature and culture, challenging each viewer to connect with their microbiome.
Synopsis
Commencing with a scene of a solitary water bear, the film quickly shifts between split-screen imagery of microorganisms and semi-abstract urban footage. The imagery plays with scale, challenging the viewer to explore and link the relationships between microscopic and macroscopic worlds. Employing water as a metaphor for the fluidity and flow of the city, the artists allude to birth-and-death processes within a closed-loop urban ecosystem. Adopting a more-than-human philosophical approach, the film provokes intrigue and discussion around microbes, bacteria, and people.
Statement of the team
“After building a database of still imagery, stop-motion photography, and video clips, Anaʼs microscopic footage of microorganisms formed the baseline for the film.
Analysing this footage, we consequently selected complementary and contrasting subjects for Scott to film at the macro level. Using split-screen technologies, we highlight similarities in multi-species assemblages and entanglements.
With this film, we aim to dispel notions of human exceptionalism and provide non-humans with a voice, promoting ethical relationships.”
Biographies
Scott Hunter is a fine art photographer from Dunfermline, Scotland who has exhibited internationally at Tokyo Institute of Photography, Mirage Gallery in Kobe, and Art Spot Korin in Kyoto. Adopting a delicate aesthetic, Hunter examines often concealed relationships between human and non-human actants. His ʻCoast Alongʼ project was shortlisted for KG+ Award 2018 at Kyotographie International Photography Festival.
Ana Parrodi is a biological photographer from Puebla, Mexico and currently living in Edinburgh. Parrodi is influenced by minimalistic, utopian aesthetics. Enlarging microorganisms, Ana plays with scale, making the unseen visible to the human eye. Anaʼs film ʻCORAL” was presented at Capilla del Arte Gallery in Mexico, and the MUNIC festival in Mexico and Spain, 2016 and 2018.
Elena Nicolaou is a music composer from Cyprus. Fusing contrasting styles, her inventive process combines both traditional recording and digital editing techniques. With works spanning contemporary, musique concrète, and electronic music, she adopts an innovative approach, creating hybrid compositions with experimental sampling and sound design. Elena is currently studying an MSc in Composition for Screen at the University of Edinburgh after graduating from Royal Holloway in London with first-class honours.