Land/Water and the Visual Arts

As a research group it operates as a forum for interrogation of nature and culture, aesthetics and representation.
Land/Water and the Visual Arts
'The Lawes of the Marches' - copyright Katie Davies 2015

Land/Water consists of artists, writers and curators who embrace a diversity of creative and critical practices. As a research group it operates as a forum for interrogation of nature and culture, aesthetics and representation. Questioning imagery and practices relating to land, landscape and place is central to our ethos. As artists, writers, curators we work individually exploring space and place as a point of departure for experimenting in new modes of communication through picturing. We generate work that addresses a range of issues. These include environmental change, sustainability, journey, site and regional specificity.

In addition a forum for theoretical and methodological debate is constructed through research events, exchange exhibitions (with other HE Institutions), conferences, symposia and publications.

Upcoming events

  • To celebrate its tenth anniversary, photographies journal is holding a two-day international conference - 'Critical Issues in Photography Today' 18 - 19 May 2017, University of Westminster, London UK. Photographies is co-edited by Liz Wells.
  • Annual Summer Symposium - 'Territories' 22 - 23 June 2017 - Speaker Emeric Lhuisset (book your place)
  • Research seminar - 15 March 2017 15:00-17:00 Scott Building, Room 102 - Speakers Fedra Dekeyser and Claudia Pilsl 

  • Research seminar - 10 May 2017 14:00 - 16:00 Scott Building, Room 102 - Speaker Esther Johnson 

Emeric Lhuisset: Last water war, ruins of future, series of photographs of the archeological site of Girsu (Telloh), Iraq, 2016.

Past events

  • 2014 ‘Nocturnal’ symposium
    Speakers: Nick Alfrey, Angela Kingston, Susan Derges, Jem Southam, William Arnold, Milo Newman, Liz Nicol, Louisa Fairclough, Tabatha Andrews, Fergus Heron, Chrystel Lebas 
  • 2013 ‘Mapping’ symposium
    Speakers: David Chandler, Jean Delseaux, Caitlin Desilvey, Justin Partyka, Yan Preston, Susan Trangmar, Oliver Udy, Martin Warren, Pascale Weber, David Wyatt
  • 2012 ‘Water: Image’ International Conference
    Key note speakers: Deborah Bright (US), Per Bak Jensen (DK) + international speakers 
  • 2011 ‘No Man’s Land’ symposium
    Speakers: Alev Adil, Anthony Haughey, Anne Noble, Emma Stibbon, Liz Wells, Anthony Caleshu 
  • 2010 ‘Land and the Metaphysical’ symposium
    Speakers: David Williams, Jo Love and Mike Evans, David Rayson, Jane Grant, Peter Cusack 
  • 2009 ‘Land and Expedition’ symposium
    Speakers: Anne Burke, Melanie Challenger, Neville Gabie, Vicky Long, Jorma Puranen, Stephen Vaughan 

People

Associated members

Artist in residence

  • Wayne Barrar - Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
  • Deborah Bright 
  • Caroline Mcquarrie - Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
  • Hantu (Pascale Weber - Sorbonne University, Paris and Jean Delseux - University of Clemont-Ferrand)

Students

  • Lu La Buzz - PhD 
  • Fedra Dekeyser - PhD 
  • Jose Emanuel Bras - MPhil/PhD 
  • Karol Kwiatek - MPhil/PhD 
  • Claudia Pilsl - PhD 
  • Yan Preston - PhD 
  • David Wyatt - PhD


  • Nicola Curtis - MRes Photography, completed 2010
  • Jason Hirons - MRes Landscape, completed 2010
  • Kate Isherwood - MRes Photography, completed 2010
  • Jess Maslen - MRes Photography, completed 2010
  • Laurie Reynolds - MRes Photography, completed 2010
  • Martin Shaw - PhD, completed 2010
  • Sally Waterman - PhD, completed 2010