Publication : British Art and the Environment. Changes, Challenges and Responses Since the Industrial Revolution.

The book will be out on July 22nd. It is co-edited by Charlotte Gould and Sophie Mesplède, published by Routledge, and supported by PRISMES, Sorbonne Nouvelle; ACE, Université Rennes 2; The Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art, and the Association of Art Historians.

This richly illustrated book explores the nature of Britain-based artists’ engagement with the transformations of their environment since the early days of the Industrial Revolution. At a time of pressing ecological concerns, the international group of contributors provide a series of case studies that reconsider the nature-culture divide and aim at identifying the contours of a national narrative that stretches from enclosed lands to rising seas. By adopting a longer historical view, the book hopes to enrich current debates concerning art’s engagement with recording and questioning the impact of human activity on the environment.

Table of contents:
Introduction, Charlotte Gould & Sophie Mesplède

– “Vehicles of truth. Portable studios and 19^th-century British landscape painting, 1856–85,” Dr Amy C. Wallace, Carleton University, Ottawa

– “Painting fog. James Abbott McNeill Whistler’s blurred visions of the London atmosphere,” Dr Laura Valette, Université Panthéon Sorbonne

– “Aerial ontologies,” Dr Paul Cureton, Lancaster University

– An interview with Tim Martin, DirectorHestercombe Gallery, Somerset

 – ““It’s grim up North.” Depicting mutations and shifting perceptions of industrial landscapes in the North of England,” Dr Aurore Caignet, Université de Nantes

– ““Our oil.” Our waves? Environment, energy transition and art in 21^st-century Scotland,” Prof. Camille Manfredi, Université de Brest

– “Managing Arcadia. From the King’s Cross Estate to the Bretton Estate,” Dr Pat Naldi, Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts, London

– An interview with Adrian George, Director of ArtScience Museum, Singapore

– “Pursuing natural beauty. The artist as a hunter in 18^th-century art,” Sophie Mesplède, Université Rennes 2

– ““A new and unforeseen creation.” Turner, English landscape and the Anthropo(s)cene,” Prof. Frédéric Ogée, Université de Paris

– “The human landscape. John Ruskin, drawing and colour,” Dr Thomas Hughes, The Courtauld, London

– “A matter of time. Transformative sculptures by Marc Quinn, Zuzanna Janin, Anya Gallaccio, and Andy Goldsworthy,” Dr Kasia Ozga, Université Paris 8

– “Brexit, gender and Northern Ireland’s supernatural landscape. Ursula Burke’s A False Dawn and Candida Powell-Williams’ Command Lines,” Dr Edwin Coomasaru, Paul Mellon Centre, London

Afterword by Prof. Stephen Daniels, University of Nottingham

Art by London-based artist Aliki Braine

https://www.routledge.com/British-Art-and-the-Environment-Changes-Challenges-and-Responses-Since/Gould-Mesplede/p/book/9780367566487

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