Distance and the Space Between

In forests and people lies nature, in skyscrapers and factories lies nature. Everything on earth at one stage was once part of the natural world, adapted and shaped to suit our fast-paced lives. Ella Clark shares her most recent project exploring the multiple and interlocking layers that disconnect us from the natural world.

Distance and the space between, is a photographic journal exploring the space between our connection to the earth, and disconnection which allows the destruction of nature to take place. It comes at a crucial time where the climate crisis has already impacted many people’s lives, and we are set with the time frame of 10 years to prevent irreversible change. So, we have the option to continue our way of living and face up to these types of crises with new technologies, or we can reach a level of care with nature and find out where we belong within our ‘home’.

The first volume begins with three elements; Earth, Water and Air, the same elements that provide life for all known creatures in the universe. Within these elements are intuitive characteristics and themes of care, finding place, recovery and ultimately finding connection.

Water

Connection is defined as, ‘the state of being related to someone or something else’ or ‘the act of joining or being joined to something else, or the part or process that makes this possible’ (Cambridge dictionary). If asked what people were joined to, would it be nature?

In our current capitalist structure, we have grown to expect things in return, the land and oceans have been shaped for our needs and for us to get the most out of them. Yet, if we saw ourselves as joined to the natural world, the same world we live in, would we treat it entirely differently?

Water is a connector between all life,
human and non-human.
The watery planet, oceans and lakes circling islands of civilisation.
Travelling above us in the atmosphere the clouds break in a thunderous clap as the rain falls. Thousands of miles travelled from rainforest to desert to this moment of magnificent power. Forming rivers in every crack in the landscape, the cycle of life begins.
Calm lapping waves constantly changing, adapting the landscape with them. Waves turning into violent crashes as they hit against rocks engulfing anything around them.
Nature is uncontrollable.

Earth

It is difficult to connect with something and not have care over it, we naturally care for things we bond with- whether object or animal. However, there is often a reason, why should we feel the need to connect with nature, something which is just ‘there’?

The earth is often referred to as mother earth. The abundant carer, protector, nurturer and stable supporter. Yet there are many sides to this nature, both vulnerable and destructive. Sometimes described in three ways, ‘good mother’, ‘bad mother’ and ‘hurt mother’ (Roach 2003). Although argued here against the sexualisation of the earth, they are important terms in understanding the different ways in which the earth responds to the way it is treated.

Finding your own connection and care for nature in our current climate crisis is challenging because of the suffering which is so clearly being faced by many human and non-human animals. It can be easy to turn away. Yet, if you recognise this pain and suffering there is also clearly space for compassion and care.

‘Grief may be the worst suffering a person can experience, and in its agony, we see the cost of doing nothing’
(Tamas 2020).

There are many examples of communities and groups finding ways to care for nature, inspired by indigenous communities. Those who are impacted by the current changing climate are finding ways to work with nature and are much more connected than we are in the UK. Often in our privilege it is easy to ignore and disassociate these natural disasters with our lives, finding place in this system must then work with care.

Air

Each component balanced to allow life, air is the element of finding place. A sense of belonging, shared space with every human, non human and plant life. In Kae Tempest’s, ‘Picture A Vacuum’ this sense of place and belonging is put so eloquently,

‘Now everything's flashing and the waves are magnified as they roll up towards you and you're tiny as sand
Just a speck and as you approach the surface, all of that peace that you felt is replaced with this furious neverknown passion
You're feeling
The people, the life, their faces are bright
In your body, you're feeling
You want to be close to them, closer
'Cause these are your species, your kindred’

‘Creating this edition has made me understand fully my own personal disconnection to nature. The discomfort and vulnerability felt when taking self-portraits amongst such rugged landscapes, which I could not fully understand and spaces entirely uncontrollable, makes this series of work even more of a personal journey but one I hope people can relate to.

The project has evolved into more than just the ways we can find connection to nature. In finding how disconnected I am from nature, this does not feel like something I can give solely my own advice on, as such a broad and diverse topic. But what I can share, is the beauty and power of nature through all the senses.’

The journal will be available soon, and further images from the project can be seen here.

EnvironmentViridis Magazine8 December 2020