Riverlandia / Ellen Wiles

Ellen Wiles
United Kingdom
 
Riverlandia, 2024
Audio Story, 63:13 minutes
 
Wiles delves into the life of a river valley during a time of ecological transformation, told through the voices of its inhabitants, both human and non-human. Following a teenage girl struggling to find her place in the world, the narrative unfolds through diverse perspectives which intertwine to reveal deep connections between species’ and the shifting balance of the natural world.
 
The work responds to the groundbreaking river restoration project on the Holnicote Estate, which seeks to revive ancient wetlands, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate climate change-induced flooding. By prioritizing non-human perspectives, the piece challenges listeners to reconsider their relationship with the environment, highlighting both the fragility and resilience of ecosystems in an era of rapid change.
 
Ellen Wiles is a novelist, sound artist, and scholar based in the UK. A former lawyer, she now works as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Exeter and serves as artist-in-residence at an environmental science center. Her work bridges storytelling, environmental awareness, and sound, inviting audiences to engage with the world in new and unexpected ways.