Episode 381: Ecology, Art and Memory
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In this rich and evocative episode of Roots and All, host Sarah Wilson speaks with artist Rebecca Wing-Kelly, whose work fuses sculpture, storytelling, and ecology in West Wales. Wing-Kelly explores how art can serve as a bridge between humans and nature, using habitat structures like the 'Tour Gwyllt'—a totemic tower that functions as both a home for bees, toads, and owls and a vessel for local folklore. She emphasizes the deep interconnection between biodiversity loss and the erosion of myth, arguing that reviving stories about the land can rekindle emotional and spiritual relationships with nature. Her work is rooted in ethnographic research, community gathering, and sacred activism, especially in her efforts to protect the River Arth. She reflects on the challenges of funding for ecological art and advocates for sustainable, community-driven models that blend creativity with conservation. The episode closes with a celebration of the Batman hoverfly, a species that embodies mimicry and resilience, tying back to the theme of hidden connections in nature.
Art and ecology are deeply intertwined—storytelling can reignite people’s emotional connection to nature.
Habitat structures like the Tour Gwyllt serve as both ecological homes and cultural gathering points.
The loss of wildlife and folklore are not separate crises but mutually reinforcing; reviving stories helps protect species.
Sacred activism—gentle, reciprocal engagement with nature—can be more sustainable than burnout-inducing protest.
Community-led, small-scale projects (like school gardens) can foster a renewed sense of belonging and stewardship.
…and 2 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Introduction to Rebecca Wing-Kelly and Her Artistic Vision
Host Sarah Wilson introduces Rebecca Wing-Kelly, an artist from West Wales whose work merges sculpture, storytelling, and ecology. Wing-Kelly shares her roots in Ceredigion and her journey from running a restaurant and art space in Cardiff back to her artistic practice rooted in the natural landscape.
The Tour Gwyllt: A Habitat Structure Rooted in Myth
“It's a house, it's a home... for the local ecology and kind of on a conceptual level it's a totem pole of mythology and folklore.”
Folklore, Memory, and the Interdependence of Stories and Species
“If we rediscover our stories and retell them and bring them back to life... then people grow to love what they see.”
The Role of Gathering and Ceremony in Reconnecting with Nature
“To bring a focal point like a sculpture into the landscape can often give people the opportunity to look at it from a different perspective.”
Researching Local Mythology and the Power of Oral Tradition
Wing-Kelly shares her methods for uncovering local folklore—interviewing elders, accessing the Sound Archive of Wales, and walking the land. She emphasizes the emotional depth of stories told in Welsh, which evoke ancient bardic traditions.
“If we rediscover our stories and retell them and bring them back to life... then people grow to love what they see.”
“I had to sort of switch that activism into something that I now called sacred activism, which is kind of showing up for the river and speaking to the river in a kind of more of a shamanic way.”
“It's a house, it's a home... for the local ecology and kind of on a conceptual level it's a totem pole of mythology and folklore.”
Host
Guest
Rebecca Wing-Kelly
person
Sarah Wilson
person
River Arth
place
Tour Gwyllt
other
Ceredigion
place
Batman hoverfly
other
Mari Berllampita
person
Mithropa floreia
other
The Roasting House
brand
Benny
person
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