Working together collectively has never been more important than it is in our current ecological climate. Approaching our issues through transdisciplinary practice opens up greater potential to tackle real-world problems with open minds, evolving methods, and a willingness to reflect and adapt as the world around us shifts.
Transdisciplinarity allows me to stay grounded in my own practice whilst widening my horizons. Not forgetting where I started, but bringing new perspectives and ways of working.
It can be challenging to reach out, but by doing so, I have met ecologists, scientists and artists who have been willing to share their knowledge and engage with my work. These exchanges have helped break down the rigid boundaries that often sit between disciplines, showing how much we can learn from one another when we collaborate.
It’s clear that tackling the big issues of our time, from biodiversity loss and climate change to social inequality, requires this kind of joined-up approach. Too often, solutions stay locked within narrow fields of expertise, but I’ve found that blending scientific methods with artistic processes opens up new possibilities. For example, experiments with mycology and microscopy have helped me look more closely at soil-dwelling organisms, and I can then bring those observations into my art to share with others.
By connecting with wildlife trusts, arts organisations and local councils, and by working as both an artist and an inquirer into ecological science, I have already started to see the long-term benefits of adopting this way of working. I have also been lucky to be part of initiatives that bring artists and ecologists together to co-create projects, which feels like a reawakening of collaborative spirit. In these spaces, art can inform science and science can inform art, and as a result, maybe something new can emerge.
Blending disciplines encourages dialogue, sparks curiosity, and helps us think differently about the challenges we face together. For my own practice, it’s already proving invaluable, and I hope the connections I’ve made along the way will continue to inspire future projects that reimagine our relationship with the natural world.
