Copper Penny

All photographs by Sally Mumby-Croft

I recently interviewed artist Claire Roberts for Silent City, You can read the interview here: But please do check out Silent City

Interview with Claire Roberts for Silent City

How did you become involved in Silent City?

I became involved in Silent City by chance. It was just after I had returned from travelling and I was invited by the group to contribute. I wasn’t certain at this point how I could add to this exhibition.

What has life been like a year after graduating from Goldsmiths?

After graduating I went travelling to South America to Chile, Argentina and Brazil. I felt determined to experience some of these places first hand, despite the environmental guilt that follows. It was really interesting noting the attitudes these places had to the environment. I remember arguing most fiercely with an Argentinean man about the Falkland Islands since drilling for oil had just started there. This man believed that the oil belonged to him (as did the Islas Malvinas) It was frustrating, since the very greed and desire for ownership and wealth was one that led the British government to empire, the desire for these natural resources. And yet globally we are plundering the world of these things. Countries who have had less opportunity for this ownership see having these things as a way of obtaining respect, wealth and not being bullied internationally. It is difficult to ask the world to have more respect for the planet, when we, ourselves are constantly plundering it for economic growth.

What first interested you about the problem the eradication of bees proposes?

Climate change is such a big incomprehensible topic to navigate. I realised the only way I could access it was to consider something that I knew. For the last few years my parents have been keeping honeybees, and I’ve became caught up in them. I became fascinated with Colony Collapse Disorder. Where bees just seem to disappear and not return. There are lots of theories why this may happen ranging from a pest (varroa) to pesticides, single crop fields to extinction of habitat, even mobile phones were potentially considered a threat. Scientists began analysing, cutting open bee’s and looking at their guts and seeing that the CCD bee’s were sick. My personal belief is that all this factors have evolved to create considerable stress on bees, and since a large proportion of our food is pollinated through these insects, it is essential we try to eradicate this source of stress. However the frustration that many British Beekeepers have is how little the government have funded research into this problem, despite it affecting a fifth of hives in the UK.

How did this particular piece develop?

Originally when I considered this piece I wanted to show the difference between hand pollination in China, and pollination by insects. However, after a while I decided I would rather just create a small monument for these insects.

I gathered up as many dead bees’ as I could (the ones that were chucked out the hive) and began creating a small slab for them to rest upon. I literally piled them up, but after a while I wanted to show the fragmentation. How there was an absence in them. The piece I finally created was small. It sat on the floor. I think in a way it was easy to overlook. It did not shout or scream about the bees, or their deaths. It merely just acted as a tomb. It disturbs me that perhaps this may be the way we end up accessing all bees. Pinned onto science museum. The living, breathing, pollinating insects, absent.

What are your thoughts on Global Warming and Climate Change scepticism?

I think I find it very easy to understand the scepticism behind climate change and global warming, since in the past I have been a sceptic. I only ever understood the devastating potential of our actions when considering something as small as a bee. If the use of pesticides can cause an extinction of bees in one area of a country, then all the chemicals and pollutants that we are emitting into the atmosphere globally must be having a much larger impact.

My own belief is that the earth will survive the damage that we are inflicting upon it, however it is difficult to consider if we will, or if the many other species on this planet that we have a responsibility over will. In a way the fight to protect this planet is a fight to protect our own species, as well as our fellow man. It is also a fight to protect ourselves from a difficult life, in which disease, lack of water, and starvation may become more prevalent than they are today. However it is easier to overlook this since the people that will be most affected by climate change, will be those who we already overlook in similar positions. Those that are fighting for clean safe water will be fighting even harder to access it. It is difficult to want to look at these issues, to even become involved in them, since it means admitting partly to our own collective guilt and ignorance (and I am vouching for my own too)

What projects are you currently working on? Do you think you will continue to explore environmental concerns within your practice?

I am currently working on a few projects at the moment, one of which is a collaboration directly linked with silent city, the others are more based on my previous film//performance work. I am still incredibly interested in using the environment in my work, however I am trying to negotiate a way which is able to access the unconvinced while not preaching or dictating to them. I think the key is to find something small which demonstrates the direct effect of climate change, and more intrinsically has a direct resonance with each individual. It is then possible that this person might take small changes to elevate our burden on the planets resources. To create work, which fulfils this, I see as a direct struggle.

Claire graduated from Goldsmiths in 2009 with a BA in Fine Art and History of Art. She participated in our first Silent City exhibition. Currently, she is undertaking an MA in Contemporary Art Theory at Goldsmiths University. http://www.claireroberts.org.uk/