Ruth Maclennan

Ruth Maclennan is a multidisciplinary artist and researcher affiliated with the Scott Polar Research Institute and the Department of Geography at the University of Cambridge. Her work bridges artistic practice and climate change research, focusing on the Arctic and Scotland through film, installation, and collaborative projects.

• PhD in Fine Art, Royal College of Art
• MA Fine Art, Goldsmiths' College
• BA (Hons) Sculpture and Drawing, Edinburgh College of Art
• MA (Hons) Modern Languages (Russian and French), University of Cambridge

Her research examines how climate emergencies transform human and non-human relationships with landscapes, particularly in the Russian Arctic and Scottish Highlands. She employs open-ended artistic inquiry, collaborating with scientists, anthropologists, and Indigenous communities to document ecological and geopolitical shifts. Recent fieldwork in Svalbard (2023) and the Peruvian Amazon (2022) informs her immersive films and installations.

Articles reveal a focus on archives as ecological records (2023), Arctic cinematography ethics (2020), and Indigenous land sovereignty (2022). Her work frequently appears in international exhibitions like the BFI London Film Festival and Whitechapel Gallery.

• Artica Svalbard Residency (2023)
• Leverhulme Trust Artist in Residence (2013)
• AHRC-funded PhD (2007-2010)
• Cochemé Fellowship, Central Saint Martins (2009)
• Delfina Trust Studio Award (2008)

As co-founder of The Crown Letter (since 2020), she facilitates global feminist art dialogue. Her teaching at University of Cambridge and Central Saint Martins integrates ecological thought with creative practice. Collaborative projects with Arctic communities and climate scientists emphasize her commitment to documenting vanishing landscapes and amplifying marginalized voices.