Salons in the Queen’s House: A ‘murky veil’? Exploring J.M.W. Turner’s water through an ecological lens

With rising sea levels, pollution in rivers and crumbling cliffs, our seas and waterways are in crisis, more so than ever before.

J.M.W. Turner was inextricably linked to watery spaces. His works were saturated with wetness, from rivers to seas, and filled with its inhabitants, including seabirds and whales. Even after his death, his association with marine environments continued. His monument in St Paul’s Cathedral, London, features a carved piece of seaweed and a starfish. 

In this talk, artist, researcher and curator Martha Cattell will explore the various forms of environmental harm that can be seen in Turner’s depictions of water and highlight connections with representations of water in contemporary art today. 

The talk will consider how Turner's work can and should function in contemporary environmental debates, exploring the role that artists and their viewers can play in witnessing and eco-storytelling, especially in and around water. 

This talk will take place in the Headmaster's Drawing Room and Dining Room, located on the ground floor of the Queen's House. It is part of a series of talks responding to the themes of J.M.W. Turner's The Battle of Trafalgar, which has recently been installed in the room.

Martha Cattell (@martha.cattell) is an artist, researcher and curator whose work explores the ethics and representations of the natural world. 

Their AHRC funded PhD explored the visual and material culture of the 19th century whaling industry. They are currently Research Assistant at the Institute for Social Justice, York St. John, and Programme and Outreach Officer for Leeds International Film Festival. 

They are particularly interested in making research and the art world more accessible and work across community arts, film festivals and research. As a practicing artist they have worked across the UK in residencies and commissions including Dalby Forest, Forestry Commission, The Sustainable Darkroom, METAL, and Crescent Arts, Scarborough.