Who's there to comfort the trees? [working title]

An exploration of grief and navigating the land that's being taken away from the plants, the animals and the people

(in development)

This summer I went back to the part of Poland where I saw the sea for the first time as a kid. I have no idea what forces brought me there now, but the people I met and the energy of the place made it feel just right. The area is one of the places that are losing the battle against big money, as always advertised as development, investment and opportunity. A nuclear power plant that is being built will soon be followed by what is apparently going to be one of the biggest data centers in Europe and it doesn’t end there. Apart from documenting the land, I want to explore how representation of it and the idea of landscape and maps shapes our perception of the land. I also want to have a look at the history of this area, its people, belief systems and idea land stewardship and grief.

The residents navigate the land through the new symbols marking the territory - the marks on the trees to be cut down, fences to be built, roads to be widened and train tracks to be built, while the grey dust fills the air.