Sophie von Maltzan is an artist, academic, landscape architect and farmer. Her predominant focus is that of environmental, socially engaged and collaborative practice. Her artistic and educational endeavours also serve as research projects: interrogating and working to change humanity’s relationship with the environment.
Selected Press and publications:
· Book: Dr. Courage, Cara. “Arts in Place” Routledge, 2017: Chapter 5.
· Film & Article: Griffin, Dan.”Bridgefoot street pop-up park: A public park within reach” Irish Times, 2016: p8. Print& online.
· Newspaper Article: Griffin, Dan. “End of line for Smithfield Art Tunnel” Irish Times, February 2014: p9. Print & online.
- Publication
Sophie von Maltzan’s socially engaged environmental projects present a paradigm shift in the use of marginal open spaces in our cities. They explore how citizens can be involved in the shaping of public spaces, creating platforms that encourage communities of place to develop around them and improve biodiversity.
Von Maltzan’s projects aim to provoke a shift of cultural values and aesthetic norms. Currently the “normal” for urban private and public open space is a tidy-looking and biodiversity-poor landscape that does not allow for vegetational natural processes. It is Von Maltzan’s view that such settings do little to expand understanding of climate change and our capacity to mitigate those changes, and even perpetuate alienation from nature. Her investigative projects set out to promote and democratise nature-filled green infrastructure in urban settings, thereby providing ‘stepping stones’ to more sustainable towns and cities.
Fieldwork & Strategies (F&S) is the umbrella term for Sophie Graefin von Maltzan’s practice.
Sophie Graefin von Maltzan has qualifications as Landscape Architect, Gardener and Artist (Edinburgh College of Art, Ecole Nationale Superieure de Versailles, Charles Cecil studios, Florence, Galabau Hamburg).
Since 2006 F&S work on projects in Ireland and abroad, as well as a part- time lecturer at the School of Landscape Architecture, UCD and occasionally at other Universities
Profile
– Fourteen years of experience as a practical artist working in the socially engaged field and as an activist.
– Fourteen years of third level teaching experience at UCD and other academic institutions.
– Five years of experience of working in landscape architecture and planning offices.
– Seven years of extensive sustainable farming experience in the Irish Midlands.
– Experience in developing and implementing business and funding strategies for art projects.
– Has worked on various landscape studies and design projects, on her own and as a member of multidisciplinary teams.
– Devised a broad variety of community consultation projects.
– Eloquent public talker with a lot of presentation experience.
– Experience with academic research, analytical report and article writing.
– Educated as a traditional visual artist.
– Designed and executed art workshops with children in and out of the educational realm.
Education
2002 – 2003 MA (HONS.) Landscape Architecture,Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh Scotland.
2000 – 2001 3rd year studies, Ecole Nationale Supérieure du Paysage, Versailles France.
1998 – 2001 Bachelor of Arts, Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh Scotland.
1996 – 1998 Qualification as Gardener (GaLaBau ev.), Hamburg, Germany.
1995 – 1996 Charles H. Cecil Studios, classical schooling in drawing and painting, Florence.
1977 – 1995 Upbringing and school education in Maputo, Bonn, Paris.
Research interests
2012 – on-going Activating the public realm through community art projects, UCD Design fellow research group.
2011 – on-going Participatory outdoor design with children.
Professional Experience
2007 –to date Setting up of Fieldwork & strategies, Art & Landscape Architecture, Dublin.
2004 – 2006 Landscape Architect, Mitchell+ Associates, Landscape Architects, Dublin.
2003 – 2004 Area architects, Architecture and Planning, Edinburgh.
2001 – 2002 Junior Landscape Architect with J Mazas, Landscape Architecture, Marseille.sector, exhibition making, curatorial management, project management, arts administration, writing of briefs and reports and academic and educational work.
Von Maltzan has considerable prior experience working as a landscape architect: She has worked on urban and rural landscape architecture projects and all stages from feasibility to construction.
She enjoys a strong track record of initiating, consulting, producing and coordinating collaborative projects with multiple communities and stakeholders, she will deliver this project in a highly organised, creative and successful manner. As a cultural producer she enjoys the challenges and benefits of working with diverse stakeholders - from local community development groups to schools, youth groups and retirement groups as well as the wider art and design community.
Sophie von Maltzan is a registered member of:
the Irish Landscape Institute
Crafts Council Ireland
Garten Landschaftsbau ev. Germany
elected on Dublin City Council Artists' panel
