EP62 - INTERDISCIPLINARY ENVIRONMENTAL ARTIST - Lora Aziz

Lora is an Egyptian–British interdisciplinary artist, writer, and researcher whose community-led work moves between environmental storytelling, walking-based arts, and cultural practice.We are channeling full moon energy in the studio. This was recorded before Nick’s Costa to Costa mission and he is buzzing to set off. Lora is the partner of our previous guest Marley, the Community Farmer and Film Maker, who we LOVE! We love Lora too! What’s up culturally between Essex and Suffolk? Lora moved to the S county, but still feels culturally rooted in Essex. What is ethnobotany? It’s all about how humans relate to plants and place. Anthropology of plants. Uses of plants and their names change with places, especially historically. Essex’s modern identity is part geezer, part Haywain. The National Gallery, so many great paintings in one place, and The Haywain is coming back to Essex this year! Changing the image of Essex. Lora is a wildcrafter, working with foraging, land access, dealing with pollution, and now a tenant farmer, which is very hard. Lora worked bringing people together and showing them what is around them, edible, medicinal, and the justice that exists around land use. A deeper understanding helps people want to protect their natural environment. Education about plant families and similarities to make global connections between people and place. Lathcoats Farm apple tasting station is amazing to try different varieties. Planting fruit trees and digging bore holes on the farm. Wondering at the layers of orange earth, blue London clay, sand and chalk that came from the bore hole, and processing them into art - all of these colours from beneath their feet on the farm. How did feudalism and capitalism change land rights. Hawthorn was planted to keep people off of land in these times, and it is very prolific across the county. All about the 70 mile North to South ‘Saffron Trail’ in Essex, running from Southend-on-Sea to Saffron Walden. Lora walked the Pilgrim’s Way and the Essex Way during lockdown. Saffron is a plant not from Essex, so it is an interesting subject for people and place. Growing saffron and grapes for wine in Essex, and climate change. The cultural stress of learning about new growing and production on land, such as Essex’s move to grape growing playing catch up with generations of tradition from other growing regions. What are ‘blue spaces’? Water spaces. Of which there are loads of varieties on the Saffron Trail.  And artists can respond to these sites in Lora’s project. About the Sudbury to the Sea kayak route. Slow travel and exploring the county. Making inks and paper from the land, and using them for calligraphy. The history of colours. Lora has been exhibiting at Wellcome Collection in London in the exhibition ‘Thirst In Search of Fresh Water’. Be curious - learn about plants, talk to people about them, observe them, and explore.Lora Aziz websiteLora Aziz on Instagram Are You Creative? recorded by Adam at Lawker Media, Chelmsford, ESSEXEdited by Nick HearneArtwork by Alpaca AntennaDon't forget to like, subscribe, share and all the good stuff.Follow our Instagram for latest news and behind the scenes photos  Send comments, questions, or suggestions for fascinating creative people in Essex give us a shout on our Instagram Thanks to NGDA for their support