_1215_fine_art_catalogue

Charlotte Pattinson
c.jayy-x@hotmail.com
Threats posed to the environment by nuclear energy are accelerating,
whether through the increasing stockpile of nuclear waste, ageing
nuclear sites, or the threat of radioactive contamination. My interest in
this was sparked by my experiences growing up close to the Sellafield
Nuclear Plant in Cumbria. My family were affected by the Sellafield fire
in 1957 but they remained and still live and work in its shadows today. It
was a memorable feature in my childhood seeing its towers on the
skyline on my trips to the seaside.
‘Untitled’, 2015
‘Untitled’, 2015
Following nuclear power plant disasters at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl
and Fukushima Daiichi, the dangers of nuclear power are real and
present, and this creates fear, anxiety, and tension. Biased views from all
sides have led to the production of questionable material, exaggerated
maps, and manipulated photographic evidence by campaigners
desperate to gain supporters. However, research carried out by locals
and the government since these accidents provides evidence which
could possibly bring clarity to the issues. Mary Stamos, a Three Mile
Island local begun photographing and documenting plants in the area
after the accident. She discovered double headed clovers, three foot
long dandelion leaves and leaves and buds sprouting from the centre
of roses. All genetic developments which begun decades after the
accident. Research in the Fukushima area of Japan proves that issues
have already begun to form. Following the 2011 disaster, pale blue
grass butterflies in the area have shown dramatic deformities, with
irregularly developed wings and warped bodies.
Through my work I attempt to expand on this, not only by collecting
information found by others, but also by assembling my own evidence.
To this end I have gathered samples of dead butterflies found in my
home, and collected grass seeds and gorse bush flowers found close to
Sellafield. These have become materials in my work, directly combined
in handmade papers that I then draw on to. These drawings emerge
from a range of sources including emails, photographs, and direct
observations of plants that mimic illustrations found in old botanical
journals.
‘Untitled’, 2015
Charlotte Pattinson
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