Sam Nightingale is an artist and researcher working in environmental media. He uses experimental forms of photography and speculative fieldwork to explore ‘spectral ecologies’ and the geopolitical interface between history, ecology and the image. His work explores how ‘spectral ecologies’ trace human and nonhuman histories and events enmeshed within organic and inorganic life, of salt, soil, and plants, as well as the built environment. The work draws as much on technical media as it does on a biophysical environment’s capacity to act as ‘elemental media’ or ‘natural media’.  


Nightingale is involved in various interdisciplinary projects, including running field-labs and working with rural communities, scientists, geographers and social scientists in Europe and Australia. Residencies include Røst AiR, Norway; Ecology of Senses (Bioart Society, Finland); Practicing Deeptime (TimeSpan, Scotland); Dark Ecology, (Sonic Acts, Russia/ Arctic Circle). Recent publications: ‘Para-photo-mancy: notes on biochemical images,’ Antennae (2019); ‘Cinétracts - cinematic cartography in the Australian Mallee’, Living Maps Review, (2019) ‘Photochemical Alchemy,’ CAA Art Journal Open (2019). He is also co-editor of Fieldwork for Future Ecologies: Radical practice for art and art-based research (Onomatopee, 2022). His artwork is held in public and private collections. He is doing a PhD at Goldsmiths, University of London across the departments of Media, Communication & Cultural Studies and The Centre for Research Architecture.

Image
Residencies / Invitations

>> Sites of Scattering – Lüderitz, Namibia, Ruhr-Universität Bochum (2023) 
>> PACT Zollverein - Essen, Germany (2021)
>> #Instituting, Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) - Berlin/ Athens (2021)
>> Røst AiR, Norway (2019)
>> Field_Notes – Ecology of Senses, Bioart Society, Kilpisjärvi Biological Station, Finland (2018)
>> [Im]material Nuclear Landscapes, TimeSpan, Scotland (2018)
>> Practising Deep Time Residency, TimeSpan, Scotland (2017)
>> Mildura Arts Centre, Victoria, Australia (2016)
>> Dark Ecology, Norway & Russia (2015)
>> A Brooks Art Marfa, Texas, USA (2014)

Selected Publications
  • 'Attuning to the Politics and Poetics of Seaweed in the Hebrides', in Holding Sway: Seaweeds and the Politics of Form, Melody Jue and Maya Weeks (eds.) The Foundry, The University of California Humanities Research Institute.
  • Fieldwork for Future Ecologies: Radical practice for art and art-based research, Bridget Crone, Sam Nightingale & Polly Stanton (eds.) (2022) [edited book]
  • ‘I followed an image of a potential future...’ in Experimental Fieldwork for Future Ecologies, Bridget Crone, Sam Nightingale & Polly Stanton (eds.) (2022) [chapter]
  • Cinétracts - cinematic cartography in the Australian Mallee’, Living Maps Review, (2019) [essay]
  • Dust & Shadow, Reader #2: 'Attunement', Maja Kuzmanovic, Nik Gaffney, Ron Broglio, Adam Nocek (eds.) (2019) [photographic works]
  • 'Para-photo-mancy: notes on biochemical images,' Antennae (issue 48, 2019) [essay & portfolio]
  • 'Photochemical Alchemy,' CAA Art Journal Open, (2019) [essay & portfolio]
  • Futures and Fictions, Ayesha Hameed, Henriette Gunkel & Simon O’Sullivan (eds.) (2018) [photographic works]
  • Spectral Ecologies, Mildura Arts Centre (2017) [exhibition catalogue]
  • The Sensible Stage: Staging and the Moving Image, Bridget Crone (ed.), 2nd edition (2017) [photographic works]
  • Beneath the Salt, Marianne Bjørnmyr and Dan Mariner, (eds.) (2017) [photographic works]
  • Living Earth: Field Notes from the Dark Ecology Project 2014-2016, Sonic Acts Press, (2016) [photographic works]
  • By Our Selves, Andrew Kötting (ed.) (2015), [photo-essay to accompany 'Jack's Alive! And so's the Bear']
  • Forgotten Futures: modernist architecture of the british seaside town, The Modern House (2014) [editorial feature]
  • Spectral spaces: Islington’s Lost Cinemas, The Spaces [editorial feature]
  • Spectral Conjuring of a Cinematic Present, The Cinemas Project book, [photographic works]
  • Picture has Not Been Checked, [limited edition artists book]
Talks, Workshops & Events

2022
>> The politics and poetics of seaweed, School of Critical Studies, California Institute of the Arts, Los Angeles, USA
2021
>> Traversing Topologies, SARN/ Lucerne School of Arts and Design, Switzerland
>>Practices of Attunement workshops, HKW #instituting Public Programme (Athens and online)
2020
>> Liquidity Cohort (Goldsmiths): Salt and Saturation, with Melody Jue (University of California)
>> Practising Landscape: Land, Histories and Transformation, Glasgow School of Art, UK 
>> Salt: a crystal image of time, Media, Communication and Cultural Studies Association Conference, University of Brighton, UK
2019
>> Biochemical Images and Non-Human Others, 'Blood and Biome' (SSEA artist collective), London
>> Artist Talk, Estover, Kestle Barton, Cornwall, UK. 
2018
>> Para-photo-mancy: notes toward biochemical images, Critical Ecologies, Goldsmiths, London
>> Deep Time Trajectories, 'Alien Time', Goldsmiths, University of London
>> [Im]material Nuclear Landscapes Field Trip, TimeSpan, Scotland
>> Practicing Deep Time Round Table, TimeSpan, Scotland
>> Spectral Ecologies, Sensible Cinema, Advanced Research Workshop, University of London.
2017
>> Artist Talk, Mildura Arts Centre, Australia
>> Imagining Cinema, walk and talk in Ouyen, Robinvale and Mildura, Australia.
2016
>> Spectral Ecologies, Evening Forum, Tavistock Institute, London
>> Spectral Spaces, La Trobe University Art Forum, Mildura, Australia
>> Imagining Mildura Cinema, walk & workshop, Mildura, Australia
2015
>> In Search of Islington's Lost Cinemas: artist walk for Antiuniversity Now!, London
>> Cinema and Local History Mapping Workshop, collaboration Chris O'Rourke UCL, The Cinema Museum, London
2014
>> Marfa West Texas, Residency - Talk for A Brooks Art, Resort Studios, Margate
>> In Search of Seven Sisters Lost Cinemas: participatory walk for Seven Sisters Stories (HLF) Rowan Arts, London
>> Memory & Space: Workshop/ talk for The Tavistock Institute, London
>> Activating Cinema: artist-led tour of cinema for Building Exploratory
>> History of Islington's Cinemas: various talks for North London Cares, Sotheby Mews, Building Exploratory

Exhibitions & Screenings

2019
>> Para-photo-mancy, 'OPEN LABS' Science Gallery, Dublin
2017
>> A Crystalline World, Salon 17: New Approaches in Photography, Four Corners, London
>> Picture Has Not Been Checked, pic.london festival, London
>> Forgotten Futures: modernist architecture of the british seaside town, Folkestone Triennial Fringe, Folkestone
>> Spectral Ecologies, Mildura Arts Centre, Australia
2015
>> State Theatre, Sierra Blanca, NCM Exposed, Photofusion, London
>> The Remains, Cities After Hours, UCL, London
2014
>> London's Lost Cinemas, UCL Cities Methodologies, Slade Research Centre, London
>> Marfa West Texas, Residency - Work in Progress, A Brooks Art, Resort Studios, Margate
>> The Savoy, University of Bedfordshire, Luton
2013
>> Islington’s Lost Cinemas, A Brooks Art: Works on Paper, Deutsche Bank, London
>> Forgotten Futures: modernist architecture of the british seaside town, Buoyant, Gallery 40, Brighton
2012
>> Film, Cabinet Exhibition, Islington’s Arts Factory, London
>> Spectres of Film: Islington’s Lost Cinemas and other Spectral Spaces, A Brooks Art, London.
>> Film, Experiments in Cinema, New Mexico, USA
Earlier
>> Crossing Liminal Borders, Freies Museum, Berlin
>> Olympic Changes: an inadequate document of life, East Pop West, London
>> Traversal – First Passage, Millington | Marriott, New Gallery, London
>> Olympic Changes: an inadequate document of life, Islington Exhibits, Rowan Arts, London
>> Leaving the Cinema: Spectres of Film, Truman’s Brewery, London  
>> Westphoto Photography Prize, Ambika P3 Gallery, London
>> Olympic Changes: an inadequate document of life, Australian International Experimental Film Festival, Melbourne, Australia
>> Crossing Liminal Borders, Salon 2010, Viewfinder Photography Gallery, London

Teaching / Academic

>> Associate Lecturer, Royal College of Art (Media Studies, School of Architecture)
>> Lecturer, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany (Mediated Landscapes; Infrastructures of Extraction)
>> Editor, Hyphen Journal (University of Westminster)
>> Visiting Artist, The Tavistock Institute - Deepening Creative Practice
>> Associate Lecturer, Goldsmiths, University of London

Education

>> PhD Candidate - Media, Communication & Cultural Studies / The Centre for Research Architecture (current)
Goldsmiths, University of London
>> M.A Philosophy and Contemporary Critical Theory, 2014 (Distinction)
Centre for Research in Modern European Philosophy, Kingston University, London
>> B.A (Hons) Photography, 2011 (First Class Hons.)
University of Westminster, London