Dr Heidi Morstang

Heidi Morstang’s practice encompasses moving image, photography and experimental documentary; she is interested in developing visual methods when working on interdisciplinary projects that concern environmental change. She uses images to explore and offer insight into complex and often subtle tensions and conflicts that characterize places, however beautiful our environment might appear.
She has exhibited her photographic work and screened her films internationally since 1995. Her work is represented in several private and public collections.
She is Associate Professor in Photography at University of Plymouth, where she leads the research network
The International Environmental Arts Research Network [previously known as Arts Research: Land/Water and the Visual Arts]
Associate Professor in Photography
Leads The International Environmental Arts Research Network [previously known as Arts Research: Land/Water and the Visual Arts]
2nd Year co-ordinator BA (Hons) Photography
Dissertation supervisor 
PhD Director of Studies and Supervisor
PhD Examiner 
Personal tutor
Module leader: PHO 501 [Mediations], PHO 518 [Common Challenge - Collaborative Practice]

2021PhD on the Basis of Prior Published Works, University of Plymouth
Title: Intuitive Interventions: Constructing Documentary Cinematic Narratives
2009 
Postgraduate Certificate: Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, University of Plymouth
1999-2001 
MA Documentary Photography with Distinction, University of Wales College, Newport
1996-1999 
BA (Hons) Documentary Photography, First Class Honours Degree, University of Wales College, Newport
1995 
Art History, University of Oslo
1991 
Examen Philosophicum, University of Oslo

Fellow of the Higher Education AcademyMember of the Society of Fine Art Photographers, Norway (FFF)
Member of British Beekeeping Association (BBKA)

2021 -2025: External Examiner. MRes Art & Design, Cardiff Metropolitan University
2020: External Opponent, MFA Photography Examination, HDK / Valand, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
2016 - 2020: Chief External Examiner, School of Media, University of Brighton
2018 - 2021: External Examiner, BA and MA Documentary Photography, Volda University College, Norway
2014 - 18: External Examiner, BA (hons) Photography, University of Wales Trinity Saint David [Hereford campus]

Photography. Moving image. Experimental Documentary Film Practice. Documentary Photography. Interdisciplinary collaborations. Sustainability.

Pedagogic grants
2015-16
PedRio funded grant for developing collaborative / interdisciplinary teaching and learning model for arts / science students (‘The Sea and Me’ – collaboration between BA (Hons) Photography students and BA (Hons) Marine Conservation students)
Erasmus+ Mobility Grant
2019 Teaching / research at HDK/Valand, Gothenburg University, Sweden
2016 Teaching / research at HDK/Valand, Gothenburg University, Sweden
2015 Teaching / research at Sorbonne University, Paris, France 

External Examiner, MRes, Cardiff Metropolitan University, 2022 - 2026External Examiner at Volda University College, Norway, 2018 - 2021
BA Documentary Photography and MA Documentary Photography
Chief External examiner at Brighton University, 2018 - 2022
BA (Hons) Photography
External examiner at Hereford College of Arts (University of Wales Trinity Saint David) 2015 - 19
BA (Hons) Photography and FdA Commercial Photography

Observational Documentary Film and Photography. 
Environment. Landscape. History. Seed collections. Ecology. Mathematics. Philosophy. Interdisciplinary research methods.

Leads TheInternational Environmental Arts Research Network(International Partners: HDK Academy Valand, Gothenburg University, Sweden; Massey University, New Zealand; and Leiden University, The Netherlands)
(IEARN previously known Arts Research:Land/Water and the Visual Arts)

Completion of PhDs

2023: Dr Mary Pearson (PhD) 

Title of Thesis: 'Echoes of Time: an exploration of photography, land and memories'

Supervisory team: Heidi Morstang (Director of Studies), Liz Wells (2nd Supervisor)

2020: Dr Laura Hopes (PhD) 

Title of Thesis: 'Being Vulnerable - Distances of the Sublime Anthropocene'

Supervisory team: Geoff Cox (Director of Studies), Thomas Baugh (2nd Supervisor), Heidi Morstang (3rd Supervisor)

Recent Book Publication:
Heidi Morstang: Field Observationswith commissioned essays by Jan Baetens, Camille Parmesan, Michael Punt, and Liz Wells
Hardback, 96 pp, 225 x 170 mm
Photographs, film stills, electron micrographs
1st edition, numbered
Publisher
University of Plymouth Press , UK
Date of publication 10 February 2023
ISBN 978-1-84102-463-9




Films produced, directed and edited:
2022: 47˚C (UHD, 25 min 40 sec)
2019: Pseudotachylyte (UHD, 54 min 28 sec)
2015: Thinking Space (HD, 60 min)
2013: Prosperous Mountain (HD, 15min 49 sec)
2011: In Transit (HD, 19 mins 24 sec)
2008: Brand (S16 mm film, 13 mins)
2007: Certain Degrees Below (S16 mm film, 5 mins)
2005: Notes from Ithaca I, II and III (DV, 5 mins x 3)
2005: A Doll's House (DV, 4 mins 40 sec)
2004: The Waves (HD, 4 mins 13 sec)
2001: Divers (DV, 5 mins)
2001: In Between (DV, 5 mins)
Selected film festivals / screenings / exhibitions
Pseudotachylyte
2019 Bergen International Film Festival. Premiere screening. Norwegian Documentaries Competition and Golden Owl Competition
Thinking Space
2015 World Premiere screening at Science Museum London as part of the LMS 150th Anniversary Mathematics Festival What’s your Angle: Uncovering Maths28-29 Nov 2015.
2016 London Mathematical Society, De Morgan House, London. Film Screening and presentation at 151th Anniversary of the LMS.
2016 Nordkapp International Film Festival, Norway. Invited keynote speaker for Masterclass at film industry seminar and presentation on ‘Camera as my research instrument’.
2016 56th Krakow Film Festival
2016 Nordic Panorama, Malmø, Sweden
2016 Sheffield International Documentary Film Festival. Selected for MarketPlace Programme.
2016 Oslo University, Realfagsbibliotektet. Invited Film Screening of ‘Thinking Space’ in conjunction with Sir Roger Penrose public lecture, 24 October.
2016 Bergen International Film Festival, Norway. Selected for ‘Golden Owl International Competition Programme’ the Research and Science competition awarded by the University of Bergen to the best science documentary.
2017 International Science Film Festival 'World of Knowledge' St. Petersburg, Russia. By invitation and selected for Official Main Feature Film Competition.
2017 Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundation Film Festival, Heidelberg, Germany. By invitation as special guest with screening.
Group exhibition – Thinking Space:
2016 Conversations across art and mathematics: George L’Legendre, Marc Francis and Heidi Morstang. Peninsula Arts Gallery, University of Plymouth, UK. Panel discussion with Professor Stephen Huggett (General Secretary of the London Mathematical Society) chaired by Timandra Harkness (BBC).
Prosperous Mountain

2023 Ice Station, Royal Geographical Society, London
2014 31st International Environmental Film Festival, Paris. European premiere. Official Competition.
2014 20th International Short Film Week, Regensburg, Germany. International Competition.
2014 Festival international du Documentaire Eau et Climat, Belgium. Official short documentary film competition. Winner of 2nd prize.
2014 37th Norwegian Short Film Festival, Grimstad, Norway. Official competition.
2015 4th Ecofalante Environmental Film Festival, São Paulo, Brazil.
2015 Royal Norwegian Embassy Film Screening hosted by the Norwegian Ambassador Mona Juul. Panel Debate between Heidi Morstang (filmmaker), Ingrid Dokka (The Norwegian Film Institute), Åsmund Åsdal (The Svalbard Global Seed Vault), Camille Parmesan (Plymouth University) and Barry Phipps (Cambridge University). Topics concerned the future of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, the vulnerability of the arctic and the role art can play in the debate.
Exhibitions – Prosperous Mountain
2020/21 Seedscapes – Future-proofing Nature
Impressions Gallery, Bradford; Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter; Dick Institute, Kilmarnock
2014 ‘Prosperous Mountain’ Bomuldsfabrikken Kunsthall, Arendal, Norway.
2014 Maryland Art Place / Baltimore and Washington International Airport, USA.
Photographic works ‘The Road North’ and ‘Prosperous Mountain’. Group exhibition.
Other related published material – Prosperous Mountain
2015 Prosperous Mountain film and photographs by Heidi Morstang. Limited edition DVD (231 editions) with an accompanying essay by fellow and curator Barry Phipps (Churchill College, University of Cambridge). International distribution. Artefact (hand-made artist’s film / booklet in fabric-bound case). Publication launch at Norwegian Ambassadors’ Residence, London
Pascale Weber (ed.) (2018) ‘Prosperous Mountain (La montagne prospère) – réflexion d’une cinéaste sur l’importance du facteur temps et du paysage de l’Arctique’.In Le Mythe de l’Abondance. Published in French with the support of the Contemporary France Research Chair/ French General Consulat Montreal/ CERIUM-Université de Montréal.
In Transit
2013 Focus Film FestivalsProgramme at the 20th Ozu Film Festival, Italy
2012 International Docurama Programme,31st Uppsala International Short Film Festival, Sweden
2012 Best Short Films from Around the World Programme, Helsinki Short Film Festival, Finland
2012 International competition in Concorto Film Festival, Italy
2012 International competition, Sapporo International Film Festival, Japan
2012 Official competition, In The PalaceInternational Short Film Festival, Bulgaria
2012 Official competition, Kortfilmfestivalen, Grimstad, Norway
2012 Oslo Screen Festival, Cinemateket, Norway
2012 Lab Programme, Tabakalera, San Sebastian, Spain
2012 Official Lab competition, 34th International Clermont Ferrand Short Film Festival, France
2011 Aesthetica International Film Festival, York, UK
2011 Ostrava International Cinematographer’s Festival, Czech Republic
2011 Avanca International Film Festival, Portugal
Exhibitions – In Transit
2014 Film screenings and photographic exhibition at Churchill College, Cambridge
Other related published material – In Transit
‘In Transit’ part of Norwegian Short Documentary Collection, part of The Norwegian Film Institute’s FilmBib collection
Spring 2016
‘In Transit - revealing history through landscape in contemporary film’, published in ‘Painful Heritage - Leaving the dead’ anthology edited by Marek Jasinski and Leiv Sem, Skrifter (Transactions), The Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters.
February 2012
‘In Transit’ Limited edition DVD (120 editions) with an accompanying text by Dr Brieg Powel and photographs by Heidi C Morstang. Internationally distributed
Prizes
2014 2nd Prize. Festival international du Documentaire Eau et Climat, Belgium.
Prosperous Mountain
2008 1 Premio de VideoArte, El Almacen de las Artes Foconorte / El Ayuntamiento de Astillero, Spain (1st prize for ‘Divers’ and Official Selection for ‘Certain Degrees Below’)
Selected exhibitions of photographic and moving image works


2023 Heidi Morstang - Field ObservationsSolo Exhibition, Publication Launch and Premiere Screening of 47˚C, Levinsky Gallery, Arts Institute, Plymouth, UK
2020 / 21 Seedscapes - Future-Proofing Nature. An Impressions Gallery Touring Exhibition: Impressions Gallery, Bradford; Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter; 
Dick Institute, Kilmarnock
2016 MAS, Museo de Arte Contemporaneo, Santander, Spain
2014 / 2015 Sichuan Fine Art Academy, Chongqing and Jialing Jiang Gallery, Nan Chong City, China, group exhibition 
2014 Video Guerrilha / FENACULT 2014, Luanda, Angola 
2013 Nottingham Contemporary, UK
2013 5th International Video Art Festival Camaguey, Cuba
2012/13 Video Guerrilha, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2012 Plymouth Arts Centre, UK, solo exhibition
2011 & 2010 MadridFoto. Contemporary Photography Art Fair, Madrid, Spain
2011 Espacio Atlantico, Vigo, Spain (Feria Internacional de Arte Contemporaneo)
2011 Elusive, Camberwell Space, London
2010 ‘Third Space’ II Baltic Biennale of Contemporary Art, Derzhavin Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia
2010 Northampton University Gallery, Land/Water group exhibition
2009 ‘Atmosferas’ Galeria Ana VilaSeco, La Coruna, Spain, group exhibition
2009 Chelsea Art Space, London, group exhibition
2009 Galerie Art Fort Reveur, Bruxelles, Belgium (ArtExpo)
2009 Collaborators’ ROOM Artspace, London, group exhibition
2009 ‘Brand’ Videotank, Zurich, Switzerland, solo exhibition
2008 ‘Chapters’ Galeria Ana VilaSeco, La Coruna, Spain, solo exhibition
2008 ROOM Artspace, London, group exhibition
2008 National Centre For Contemporary Arts, Moscow, Russia, group exhibition
2007 ‘Trace & Transcience’, CCANW, Exeter
2007 ‘Forest Dreaming 7’ CCANW, Exeter
2005-06 ‘The Art of White’, The Lowry, Salford / Manchester
2005 ‘On Leaving & Arriving’, G39, Cardiff
2005 Silent Movements Intercity: Vlissingen, Breda, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
2005 Pump House Gallery, London (The White Station)
2004 Clapham Picture House, London, cinema screenings
2004 London Gallery West, University of Westminster (with Christie Brown)
2004 Gyumri International Biennale, Armenia
2004 R O O M, Bristol, solo exhibition, commissioned by Picture This
2003 L’Alternativa, CCCB, Barcelona, Spain, International Film Festival
2003 Watershed Media Centre, Bristol, solo exhibition
2002 ‘Observatori 2002’ Museum of Illustration and Modern Art, Valencia, Spain
2002 ‘European Award For Women Photographers 2002-2002’, Italy
2000 Watershed Media Centre, Bristol, solo exhibition
2000 ‘The John Kobal Foundation’, The National Portrait Gallery, London & The Midlands Arts Centre, Birmingham

2022 HDK / Valand, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
2021Aberystwyth University, UK
2021 HDK / Valand, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
2020HDK / Valand, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
2019Valand Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
2019'Voices in the Anthropocene'Keynote Speaker, Institute of Photography Symposium, Falmouth University, UK
2016Keynote speaker at film industry seminar for film screenings and presentation on ‘Camera as my research instrument’, Nordkapp International Film Festival, Norway.
2015‘Environmental Photography and Humanities International Symposium’, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
2014‘Of the Earth’conference, Plymouth University
2013‘Everywhere and Nowhere – New Photographic Encounters with Space, Place and Dislocation’symposium.
Photography Research Group, Plymouth University
2013‘Avanca / Cinema: Art, technology and communication international conference’, Portugal
2012Artist talk and screening at Govett Brewster Contemporary Art Gallery, New Plymouth, New Zealand.
2012Keynote speaker at ‘Making visible’ International Symposium. Massey University, New Zealand.
2011‘Avanca / Cinema: Art, technology and communication international conference’, Portugal
2010‘Painful Heritage’, International symposium, Falstad Centre, Norway
2008‘Landscape & Beauty’, Annual symposium, Land/Water Research Group, University of Plymouth

Organised the following international conferences
2019 Environmental Arts Research Practice International Conference
Keynote speakers: Anne Noble (Massey University, New Zealand); Tyrone Martinsson (Valand Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden); Camille Parmesan (CNRS, Moulis, France, University of Texas at Austin, U.S.A, University of Plymouth, UK), Yan Wang Preston
(co-organised with Liz Wells)
2012Water : Image International Conference
(co-organised with Liz Wells and Jem Southam)
Organised the following Land/Water and the Visual Arts Research Group symposium:
2017'Territories' (co-organised with Kayla Parker)
Speakers: Barbara Bosworth, Domenika Williamson, John Martin, Susan Trangmar, Emeric Hluisset,Fedra Dekeyser, Claudia Pilsl, Carole Baker, Tom Cox.
2017 'Safe-keeping bees: an interdisciplinary exploration of the future for bees in Britain'
Speakers: Nick Bentham-Green, Mark Edwards, William Kirk, Andrea Liggins, Amy Shelton
2015 'Wilderness / Wildness' (co-organised with Oli Udy)
Speakers: Liz Wells, Eva Cooney, Daro Montag, Jay Griffiths, Stephen Huggett,Temujin Doran, Angus Carlisle
2014 'Nocturnal' (co-organised with Ines Rae and Liz Wells)
Speakers: Nick Alfrey, Angela Kingston, Susan Derges, Jem Southam, William, Arnold, Milo Newman, Liz Nicol, Louisa Fairclough, Tabatha Andrews, Fergus Heron, Chryste lLebas
2013‘Mapping’ (co-organised with Ines Rae, Liz Nicol, Liz Wells and Jem Southam)
Speakers: David Chandler, Jean Delseaux, Caitlin Desilvey, Justin Partyka, Yan Preston, Susan Trangmar, Oliver Udy, Martin Warren, Pascale Weber, David Wyatt
2011'No Man's Land'  (co-organised with Liz Wells and Mike Lawson-Smith)
Speakers: Alev Adil, Anthony Haughey, Anne Noble, Emma Stibbon, Liz Wells, Anthony Caleshu
2010 'Land and the Metaphysical' (co-organised with Liz Wells)
Speakers: David Williams, Jo Love & Mike Evans, David Rayson, Jane Grant, Peter Cusack
2009 'Land and Expedition' (co-organised with Liz Wells)
Speakers: Anne Burke, Melanie Challenger, Neville Gabie, Vicky Long, Jorma Puranen,Stephen Vaughan
2013 ‘Unfolding narrative - from middles to beginnings to endlessloops’
(co-organised with Anya Lewin and Kayla Parker)
Moving Image Research Group, Media and Arts Research Centre

2021 - 22 Interim Associate Head of School EDI (Equality, Inclusion and Diversity), School of Art, Design and Architecture

2021 - 22 Chair of EDI Committee, School of Art, Design and Architecture


2021
 International Environmental Arts Research Network: Symposium II
Initiated and organized research network with Anne Noble, Massey University, New Zealand and Tyrone Martinsson, HDK / Valand, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
 



2020
International Environmental Arts Research Network: Symposium I
Initiated and organized research network with Anne Noble, Massey University, New Zealand and Tyrone Martinsson, HDK / Valand, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.


2020
Member of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee
School of Art, Design and Architecture


2018
Athena Swan Bronze Award
Member of School of Art, Design and Architecture Athena Swan Self-Assessment Team

 
2012 - 15Initiated, organised and led the following International Artist-in-Residencies hosted by Land/Water and the Visual Arts Research Group:
2015Artist: Caroline McQuarrie, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
2012 - 14(three visits) Artists: Hantu (Pascale Weber, Sorbonne University, Paris, France and Jean Delseux, University of Clermont-Ferrand, France)
Final film works screened at the Ocean City Festival, September 2014. Supported by the Marine Institute, Erasmus European Programme and Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Plymouth.
Hosted by Land/Water and the Visual Arts Research Group in collaboration with the Marine Institute, University of Plymouth.
PEER REVIEWER
2022 Palgrave Macmillan
2021 Screenworks
2019 Screenworks
2017 Interdisciplinary Science Reviews Journal
2010 Peer review of photographic book published by Pearson Education
2007 Peer review of photographic book published by Pearson Education

Represented by Galeria Ana Vilaseco, Spain.Represented by photographic agency Millennium Images, London.
Selected works shown at The Royal Norwegian Embassy, London.
Founder of Plymouth University Beekeeping Association.