Connecting the Roots launches artist residency programme with UK artist Andrew Gifford
Costa Rica-based NGO Connecting the Roots (CTR) is thrilled to announce the launch of its international artist residency programme. Beginning on 15th January 2025, the inaugural residency will feature one of the UK’s leading landscape artists, Andrew Gifford, who will spend two weeks at the charity’s headquarters in the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica. During his stay, Gifford will create a new body of work inspired by the lands surrounding the centre – rewilded by Connecting the Roots.
This new artwork will then serve as the centrepiece for a major fundraising event the following week on 25th January, presented by Gifford, Costa Rican artist Greivin Salas, and acclaimed artist Chris Levine, where CTR trustees will host key partners, stakeholders, and prospective funders.
Connecting the Roots operates at the intersection of environment, education, and the arts. Based at the stunning Eagle’s Nest retreat, perched above the Pacific coastline in Costa Rica’s Guanacaste province, CTR is committed to reversing systemic land degradation by investing in biodiversity restoration projects and community-led environmental initiatives.
“At Connecting the Roots, we believe that addressing the environmental challenges of our time requires two things: restoring critical biodiversity and reconnecting people with the natural world,” CTR trustee Peter Hampel said. “Our residency programme embodies this vision by engaging Costa Rican and international artists to inspire behavioural change and highlight the urgent need to rewild – both places and ourselves.”
Renowned for his innovative landscape paintings and light installations, Andrew Gifford brings a unique artistic perspective to the CTR residency. Over his career, Gifford’s work has been exhibited globally, including solo public shows at Leeds City Art Gallery, the Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh, and venues in Jerusalem, Ramallah, and New York.
In recent years, Gifford has focused on woodland and scrubland landscapes, aligning his work with the growing interest in rewilding. His collaborations, such as a talk with leading naturalist Kate Humble, explore how art can shift public perceptions of landscapes and conservation. Currently, he is developing a major series following the temperate rainforests of the UK, with exhibitions planned for 2025 across Cornwall, Wales, Cumbria, and Scotland.
During his CTR residency, Gifford will draw upon his extensive experience to illuminate the unique biodiversity of Costa Rica’s dry tropical forests, inspiring audiences worldwide to engage with conservation and restoration efforts.
The Connecting the Roots Artist Residency Programme not only supports artists like Andrew Gifford, but also acts as a catalyst for raising awareness about the critical importance of environmental restoration. Through initiatives like this, CTR continues its mission to rewild ecosystems and rekindle humanity’s connection with nature.
To learn more about Connecting the Roots and its artist residency programme, get in touch, via hello@connectingtheroots.org