‘Torn by the wind - questions around forest, loss and renewal’

It has been challenging to consider the theme of ‘forest’ for my work in LiLa because Shetland, where I live and work, is a largely treeless landscape, and there is no forest culture as in other northern countries. Many questions arise about this theme from a Shetland perspective. How can we understand the idea of forest in relation to Shetland’s culture as a seafaring island community and maritime hub where seascape and landscape reveal clear sight lines, uncluttered and uncomplicated by trees or tall buildings? What does forest mean? How does it connect the cultural, ecological, social and material? What are the economic and political dimensions of the forest? How could I define ‘forest’ in the Shetland context for my work in LiLa? Could I create a ‘forest’ culture for Shetland, and would it be real or imaginary?