Forest School: Constructive Land - exhibition and events
- Written byInternal Communications
- Published date 25 October 2022
The next exhibition in the CSM Lethaby Gallery showcases the work of Constructive Land, a research project hosted by the Forest School of Central Saint Martins. Examining the future of the British landscape in the context of the climate crisis.
We are facing a climate and biodiversity emergency. In order to move forward into a decarbonised built environment, we need to radically rethink the way we relate to our natural resources.
Over two weeks the Forest School will host a series of conversations and workshops, in dialogue with the Constructive Land research. The research is structured around three strands; Mosaic Landscapes, which examines different land management practices, Resilient Systems, which develops innovative timber building methods and Clearfell House, an experimental timber structure built with two disease-stricken British timber species, Ash and Larch.
The Forest School invites staff and students from across Central Saint Martins to use this exhibition as their classroom, through which we will showcase the growing concern for our Forests within art and design education.
Constructive Land is led by Material Cultures, Central Saint Martins. Supported by Forestry England and Dalby Forest. Funded by the SOM Foundation, Vastern Timber and the Forestry Commission’s Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Fund.
The Constructive land research in this exhibition is produced by first-year students from M ARCH: Architecture. The Forest School has been initiated by the M ARCH: Architecture course as an open platform operating across Central Saint Martins.
Events
26 October, 6–9pm: Public opening of Constructive Land
All UAL staff and students are invited to celebrate the opening of our new exhibition in the Lethaby Gallery.
No RSVP required.
28 October, 4–5:30pm: Nature & Craft
A screening and open-crit for a short film exploring ecology, craft and culture. Produced by Antoinette Yetunde Oni, the film highlights the water hyacinth - a tropical, aquatic plant species which grows at an alarming rate on the Lagos Lagoon, Ijebu, Nigeria. The film blends storytelling and movement with documentary to depict the material future of this invasive species in artisanal craft and agriculture in Ijebuland.
No RSVP required.
29 October, 2–5pm: Making Beams Social
Constructive land is all about how we make the timber industry in the UK more productive as well as regenerative. In this workshop, we'll be exploring ways to intercept the current practices at the end of timber lifecycles. To consider wood waste as an opportunity, rather than a burden. By imaginatively considering different structural systems from 'what's left' rather than 'what's available', we will collectively build a new structure from the remains of another.
Drop-in session.
2 November, 1–2pm: Lunch time exhibition tour with M Arch students
2 November, 3–6pm: UAL Film Files Society Curated session
Curated Session previewing student made films on the subject of forests, the natural world and climate, followed by a Q&A session.
No RSVP required.
4 November, 1:30–2:30pm: Learning from the Sacred Forest (online & at the Lethaby Gallery)
How can we learn from natural ecosystems, from their resilience, resourcefulness, and generosity in times of planetary emergency? How can we bring the teachings of the sacred forest to reimagine our built environment? As the climate crisis takes centre stage in both global and local debates, the understanding of how urban, rural, forestal and in-between areas interact and come to be is ever more important. This talk seeks to investigate, assimilate and digest the knowledge embedded in the forest, in order to prospect more resilient forms of living. Taking a journey into the Asian sacred forests, we will discuss with guests, social anthropologist Dr Debojyoti Das and architect Anagh Bali, about how we can rediscover and inform new ways for collective learning and new forms of co-inhabitation that are re-engaging with the making of life.
RSPV to join in person at the Lethaby (limited slots)
4 November, 3–5pm: Mossy Entanglements
Mossy meditation followed by a guided activity that encourages us to see our connection with more-than-humans in a different way, and questions the way we exist in the world. By Melanie Davis, Lucy Dukes and Laura Melissa Williams.
5 November: Forest Television
A stream of short student made films around forest, ecology and climate into the Lethaby gallery.
No RSVP required.
9 November, 10–11:30am and 2:30–3:30pm: Soil Chromatography workshop led by Material Cultures
In this workshop, we will look at the ground we so often overlook, regenerative land systems identified as part of the Mosaic Landscape research displayed in the exhibition. Attendees are also welcome to bring their own soil samples. Soil Chromatography is an accessible way to visually measure soil health and quality through an understanding of the individual minerals within a soil sample. Each component reacts differently with the chemical reagent resulting in a set of unique radial patterns which can be read in a chromatogram. This is one workshop in two parts.
9 November, 1–1:30pm: Exhibition tour with Daria Moatazed-Keivani Of Material Cultures
Please contact Joy Mulandi j.mulandi@csm.arts.ac.uk with any queries about the programme.