Lifescape
Alice Ladenburg

The environmental crisis calls for a multifaceted response—one that is both practical and imaginative.

In Lifescape, artist and researcher Alice Ladenburg explores how humans perceive, navigate, and are interconnected with the natural world. Blending art and science, she develops innovative storytelling methods to deepen our understanding of our shared planet and to imagine possible futures at this time of ecological uncertainty.

For this immersive solo exhibition Ladenburg worked with a team to create a large-scale video installation that focuses on key landscapes across Exmoor and West Somerset. The installation combines cutting-edge LiDAR scanning technology (in collaboration with Wageningen University in the Netherlands), filmed footage, and a dynamic soundscape. The high-tech ‘point cloud’ scans are combined with ethereal macro-views to take the viewer on a breath-taking journey through Somerset’s varied terrains—from temperate rainforests and rugged coastline to ancient sites and post-industrial landscapes. The film moves fluidly through these spaces, accompanied by site recordings and different voices offering varied perspectives and insights into the region’s ecological and cultural history, present, and future.

Ladenburg highlights five significant sites: the Somerset coastline, Horner Woods, Culbone Wood & Church, a permaculture farm, Bat’s Castle, and a section of the Mineral Line in the Brendon Hills. Each location holds unique ecological, geological, historical and cultural significance, weaving together a rich tapestry of nature and human heritage.

Beyond the video installation, Lifescape extends into an interactive display featuring natural samples borrowed from these landscapes. Ladenburg presents drawings, reference materials, and natural pigments derived from the rocks and minerals of Somerset’s distinctive geological setting. This hands-on element invites visitors to engage directly with the region’s raw materials, fostering a tangible connection between art, science, and the land itself.

Through Lifescape, Ladenburg prompts us to re-evaluate how we see, listen to, and engage with the non-human world. By merging technology, research, and artistic practice, the exhibition encourages a deeper reflection on our place within the natural world.

Alice Ladenburg combines storytelling and scientific methods to explore how we relate to the natural world. Working across multiple disciplines, she uses artistic practice to shift perspectives and foster a deeper engagement with our environment.

Her projects have been presented at institutions including Oxford University, Edinburgh University, Central St Martins, Wageningen University, and RADIUS Centre for Contemporary Art and Ecology. Her work has also been featured at the International Film Festival Rotterdam.

Alice studied Fine Art at Edinburgh College of Art and Cultural Geography at Royal Holloway, University of London. She has received support from organisations including Creative Scotland, the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK), the Mondriaan Fund and CBK Rotterdam (NL). She lives and works in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

With support from: Mondriaan Fund / CBK Rotterdam / Wageningen University / Stimuleringsfonds

The video installation was made with support from:
Sound design: Leonardo Cauteruccio (sound designer, filmmaker)
Camera, sound recording and editing: Cecile Embleton (artist, filmmaker)
Animation and editing: Ollie Palmer (artist, filmmaker),
LiDAR scans: Jens van der Zee (researcher, Wageningen University)

Image credits: Alice Ladenburg, with Cécile Embleton (footage stills) and Jens van der Zee and Ollie Palmer (point clouds)