Sensing Earth: Walking & Mapping Workshops at Holland Park, London.

Holland Park Cafe by Daisy Green

Ilchester Place, W8 6LU, London, England, United Kingdom

Centre for Ecological Philosophy

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Welcome to this creative space for the Centre of Ecological Philosophy.Founded by Alan McFetridgeAlan McFetridge is a visual artist and a researcher whose work examines the global impact of landscape fires, indigenous knowledge, and ecological resilience. His projects blend photography and environmental history, and bring humane attention to stories of ecological fire. McFetridge's work has been featured internationally, and includes residencies, lectures, and exhibitions that foster public engagement with ecology and climate-related issues.In 2016, McFetridge was granted the Environmental Awareness Bursary, which helped deepen his awareness of the Global Fire Crisis after documenting the aftermath of the Fort McMurray wildfire in Canada. This experience laid the foundation for his critically acclaimed book On The Line (2019), which was nominated five times for the prestigious Prix Pictet prize. The book explores the trauma of mass evacuation and displacement caused by fire, capturing the emotional and physical upheaval of those affected.His field studies have taken him to Canada, Australia, Aotearoa/ New Zealand, Greece, Turkey and the UK, where he has engaged with diverse collaborators in fire science, Indigenous fire knowledge, dance, data science, and art history. Notably, he was captured by militia while conducting field research north of Athens, Greece, an event that deepened his understanding of the geopolitical complexities surrounding fire and environmental justice.In 2021, McFetridge was invited to present his research at the Climates of Colonisation panel at the Association for Art History Annual Conference. His photographic series Songs of the Dead was published in Sophia Journal, Volume 7, Issue 1 (2022), in the special issue Landscapes of Care: the Emergence of Landscapes of Care in Extreme Territories. McFetridge was a finalist for the 8th Triennial Award International Marianne Award in 2022 for Connectedness – Experiments on a New Relationship with Nature. The same year, he was a guest lecturer at Johns Hopkins University Archaeological Museum for Culture in Crisis. In 2024, McFetridge judged the Environmental Category at the Association of Photographers Awards and was selected by Lauderdale House, London, to exhibit his project for their annual "Earth Day" exhibition.His work continues to advocate for the transformative potential of fire as a force of cultural and ecological renewal. His message remains clear: “We must relearn how to live with fire.”