Inquiline - Looped 16mm film projection 6.30mins

inquilinous -in′qui·lin′ous 1. (biology) That lives in the dwelling place of another species.

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Ballyteige Burrow in Wexford is a designated Special Area of Conservation (SPA). These are prime wildlife conservation areas considered to be important at a European as well as an Irish level. It is one of the finest sand dune systems in South East Ireland and is home to a variety of rare species of flora and fauna. Adjacent to the Burrow is Inish Pebble Company Ltd a supplier of decorative beach pebble and sands for the construction industry. Raw materials are sourced from an area which was reclaimed from the sea.

 

While researching the solitary bee Osmia aurulenta I was struck by this large-scale industrial structure in the heart of a designated SPA. I could not help but wonder about it’s impact on the surrounding environment. Gradually I began to wonder if there may be potentially some kind of symbiotic relationship between these two environments that could allow unintentional cultivation through this human disturbance ? After speaking with a local biologist I was informed that the algae Foxtail Stonewort, can be found growing in an abandoned pond in the quarry. This algae is extremely rare due to water pollution and is afforded legal protection under the Flora Order of 2015.

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In various County Council departments across the country drones are used to aid civil servants in a variety of tasks. Staff from different departments under-go training to become certified pilots. While participating on An Urgent Enquiry I worked with Philip Knight, senior staff officer in the Department of Environment at Wexford Co. Co., to produce the film Inquiline using a combination of standard video footage along with footage shot using a DJI Mavic Pro 2 drone with a Hasselblad camera fitted.

 

The final footage has been transferred to 16mm film and is presented using a 16mm projector. Every time the film runs through the projector it is slighted degraded through wear and tear and will over time completely degrade. This material fragility is reflective of the fragility of the ecosystems found within Ballyteige Burrow.