I took these photographs in 2018 during a Time and Space Residency with METAL, in Southend-on-Sea. They form part of my research for an international project about vulnerable wetlands and climate change in a range of river and coastal locations.

The Essex locations I visited included Tilbury and East Tilbury, Two Tree Island (Leigh-on-Sea) and Canvey Island. According to UK and German researchers, up to four-fifths of coastal wetlands worldwide are at risk from rising sea levels caused by climate change.

I photographed industrial infrastructure in the Estuary, using it to frame remnants of seemingly ‘natural’ terrains. In fact, this landscape has been shaped and scarred by maritime, industrial and military interventions for centuries. The oil and gas, shipping and waste disposal industries continue to impact its wetland habitats.

I find myself in the ambivalent position of being attracted to residual industrial structures for their visual and formal qualities, while recognizing the environmental damage these industries cause.

by Anne Krinsky

https://www.annekrinsky.com