Stuart Mugridge: Romancing the #BritishLandscape

Stuart's PhD, 'Romancing the #BritishLandscape: an investigation into 21st century aesthetics of sensing via digital transformation', is carried out with our Centre for Fine Art Research.

He is looking at the Romantic tradition in British landscape art, but his research will also examine nature writing and digital systems such as the British Landscape Generator, produced by computer game developer Big Robot, to explore how it affects our perception of the world.

During the 1990s Stuart firmly established himself in the field of artists books and his workbooks are held in major public and private collections worldwide.

A project at Grizedale Arts in 2002 and the award of a residency at a new BBC development in West London in 2004 saw him broaden his practice into the field of public art.

"My setting out point is a study of the Romantic tradition in British landscape art.

"When I found out that I had been selected for the Midlands3Cities partnership the emotion was initially relief, which is now slowly giving way to contentment and pleasure.

"The stance of the partnership looks very supportive and positive. Gaining AHRC [Arts and Humanities Research Council] funding is a very special thing and, hopefully, interesting relationships will grow with fellow researchers and academic staff across six institutions.

"I am sure an initiative like this can only benefit the individual institutions through developed awareness of the high-class research that takes place in them and will continue to benefit them as Midlands3Cities progresses."