Wolves at the Liverpool Biennial

Sat, 7 May 2011 19:55:07 +0100

The appropriation of an animal closely associated with British folklore for contemporary cultural audiences, enabled artist Carlos Amorales to produce a fantastic image campaign for the Touched Liverpool Biennial 2010. Inspired by a folk tale where wolves invade a city, Amorales’ concept was for his striking black and red wolf designs to invade Liverpool and the psyches of the festival’s viewers. The campaign makes it possible for audiences to reassess the significance and connotations of the

Heraldry: "the shorthand of history"

Sat, 7 May 2011 19:38:22 +0100

Wild boar were important symbols of courage and fearlessness when habitat loss and over hunting led to their initial extinction from Britain in the 1300s. Heraldry - the system of the design and identification of coats of arms - employed boar imagery to express certain traits or attributes of a particular union or grouping. The inclusion of a boar’s head in a coat of arms is said to indicate the bearer’s hospitality. And one can be found on Bradford City Council’s coat of arms. The speed of t

Online hunting game

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:24:05 +0100

Here’s a crude online wild boar hunting game. It does go someway to promoting humane shooting practice however, as headshots kill far quicker than body shots.

Rooting

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:15:38 +0100

Rooting is a feeding technique wild boar use to find roots, bulbs, grubs and other foodstuff in the top layers of soil. Boar use their strong snouts to dig up and turn over patches of turf and can root large areas of earth in one sitting. Wild boar’s rooting activity is argued to increase the biodiversity of plant life by mixing up the soil. However, when rooting occurs in undesirable areas, such as in gardens or on farms, it can become a concern. I recently visited Beechenhurst Lodge, a visi

Whom he strikes his cruel tushes slay

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 13:50:46 +0100

Whilst modern-day negative perceptions of wild boar are usually due to their relationship with agriculture, their reputations were as antagonistic back when they were a prized game animal, but for a different reason – their perceived temperament. Wild Boar Hunt, Frans Snyders Many historical references to boar portray them as vicious beasts: quick-tempered and deadly. Iconography depict boar snarling, charging and blowing steam from flared nostrils. In Venus and Adonis Shakespeare writes:

Neutrality vs. Cultural Relevance

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 13:44:35 +0100

The project describes its aims as ‘…increasing awareness of the presence of wild boar in the UK, whilst re-evaluating the species as culturally relevant’. But does that description lean too heavily in favour of reintroduction? And if so, does that affect the project’s ability to remain neutral, and a platform for all sides of the debate? First, perhaps I should consider what I mean by ‘culturally relevant’. On a basic level wild boar are relevant to our culture because they have a cultural he

“A radical new vision of conservation biology called re-wilding”

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 15:32:29 +0100

There was a very interesting BBC Horizon program on a while ago looking at an aspect of an ecological philosophy called re-wilding, which promotes the introduction of locally extinct animals to counter unbalanced ecosystems. The program focussed on a number of case studies where predators have been introduced to attempt to control large, often unsustainable, numbers of other animals. For example wolves have been re-introduced to Yellowstone National Park in the U.S. in an attempt to bring elk

UN International Year of Forests

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 15:24:18 +0100

“The livelihoods of over 1.6 billion people depend on forests” The United Nations has declared 2011 as the International Year of Forests, in order to “raise awareness on sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests.” Their website operates as a “global platform to celebrate people’s action to sustainably manage the world’s forests.”

Support

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 15:13:21 +0100

I am very pleased that this project has been made possible by the support of the National Lottery through Arts Council England and the Forestry Commission of Great Britain. As a practicing artist I rely on financial support to make work and deliver projects. To have money invested in my practice is motivating and makes me to strive to produce projects of the highest possible quality. Amid the recent headlines surrounding national arts funding, it’s important to remember that individual artists

Wild boar Sus scrofa - A Brief Introduction

Sat, 23 Apr 2011 15:10:09 +0100

I am going to make this a brief introduction, as there are currently very good resources elsewhere on the web. I would highly recommend the British Wild Boar Organisation for information on wild boar in a British context. Wild boar (Sus scrofa), also referred to as feral wild boar, wild pig or wild hog, are the ancestors of the domestic pigs farmed today. Mostly nocturnal, wild boar forage for roots, grubs, bulbs and other foodstuffs in top layers of soil by rooting (digging up areas of the

Automata

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 18:06:40 +0100

Fauna Automata is an on-going project of mine where wooden mechanical sculpture (Automata) allow wild animals to trigger their own photographs. This process allows the elusive and often overlooked animals with which we share our urban and suburban space to be documented and revealed. The project has previously recorded images of squirrels, mice, magpies, sparrows, pigeons and most recently rats near Castlefield Gallery. One of the main impetuses for this project was a desire to attempt to use

Boar Books

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 18:05:55 +0100

This collection of books on wild boar provides fantastic introductions to the animal’s history, ecology and reintroduction in Britain. ‘Wild Boar Sign: a field guide’ may be of particular interest to those visiting potential boar habitat, as photographs and descriptions help readers to identify the multitude of marks and signs wild boar’s unusual behaviour leaves behind. The books are all by Martin Goulding, who has been studying the animals for many years, and are available from www.british

Boar from a Cultural Perspective

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 18:31:21 +0100

The majority of research I’ve done into wild boar in Britain so far has been scientific or ecological in nature. This has included learning about their biology and behavioural patterns, history and genetic make-up, and their impact on biodiversity, agriculture and other issues. Sources have included zoological reference books, studies by academics and scientists, and reports such as DEFRA’s ‘Feral wild boar in England: An action plan’ (.pdf). I hope that this project may provide a balance to

Balance and Impartiality

Sat, 23 Apr 2011 18:30:48 +0100

As well as aiming to increase awareness of wild boar and associated issues, the project will provide a platform for readers, participants and members of the public to make their own views and opinions heard. The project will adopt a neutral approach and strive to present information and ideas impartially, so that people are free to form their own opinions, and comment appropriately. The pros, cons and unknown effects of the reintroduction of wild boar to the UK are complex, and management str

DANGER WILD BOAR KEEP OUT

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:40:56 +0100

Sign at Bowland Wild Boar Park, Chipping, Preston. My experience of Britain’s wildlife, like many other people, mostly consists of sightings of small mammals, our incredible bird life and the occasional interaction with larger mammals such as deer and seal. So to learn that we have free-living wild boar in this country (often referred to as feral wild boar) in what was once one of their native lands, I found intriguing and exciting. The idea of boar living in our countryside also feels quite st