Emma Hadwin

Emma Hadwin is an interdisciplinary artist who connects with nature through printmaking and various photographic processes. She works collaboratively and visually across various ecosystems in the UK. One of the central themes explored within her work is the concept of the Anthropocene—a term that encapsulates the impact of human activities on the environment. Through her art, she invites viewers to contemplate and reflect upon their own relationship with the environment.

Employing a range of mediums, her exploration of camera-less techniques, including Anthotypes, Cyanotypes, and Phytograms, allowing her to create poetic representations of nature. Treating these as source material, Emma further expands on the work through screen printing and textiles.

'Between the salt water and the sea strands' bears witness to the disappearance of Fylde sand dunes and the significant decline of coastal habits. The replacement of the dunes with man-made structures has resulted in a loss of biodiversity and an increase in tourism along the Fylde coastline. This issue has led to the loss of 80% of the dunes over the past 150 years due to climate change and human intervention methods.

Conserving and protecting the remaining sand dunes is crucial to maintaining their ecological and cultural significance. The dunes harbour over 280 plant species, including nationally or regionally significant. The project aims to explore whether concrete and large structures on the coastline are causing more harm than good. Local environmental studies have shown that hard structures like seawalls disrupt living shorelines and cause the buildup of sediment and debris on the coastline. Despite the dunes importance, they have been overlooked as a tourist attraction in favour of more developed areas, leading to damage by foot traffic and sea born pollution that is washed ashore.

The Project intends to aims to raise awareness about the importance of sand dunes using light-sensitive images created with various algae-based photographic chemistries. It aims to produce an artist's survey of the coastline, utilising materials exposed on the beach to capture the blending of architectural structures with the natural environment.