Kinetic Installation Harnesses River Energy to Activate Loops

**The Pressing Requirement to Safeguard England’s Rivers: A Focus on Tom Wrigglesworth and Matt Robinson’s Film, *Flow***

Merely 14% of England’s rivers are in satisfactory condition, while the majority are drastically contaminated by sewage and pollutants from industrial agriculture. The flora, fauna, insects, and avian species that once flourished within these dynamic ecosystems are now significantly endangered. In response to this urgent environmental challenge, filmmakers Tom Wrigglesworth and Matt Robinson, based in London and part of Tom & Matt studio, have directed their artistic focus towards showcasing the necessity of preserving the UK’s freshwater ecosystems in their latest short film, *Flow*.

The pair collaborated with The National Trust to create a distinctive animation installation in South Wales. This installation showcases kinetic wooden sculptures strategically positioned along the river. The sculptures, embellished with motifs of fish and bird cutouts, are animated by the river’s current, producing continuous moving sequences that symbolically breathe life back into the river.

Drawing inspiration from Kunio Kaneko’s artistry, Wrigglesworth and Robinson utilized negative space techniques, with the river itself serving as a medium to represent the animation. They constructed 168 paddles linked to 21 revolving wheels, with each paddle hand-cut from 2-millimeter-thick sheets of FSC-certified wood, representing individual frames of the animation. The kinetic sculptures are powered by the river’s natural flow, which governs the pace and rhythm of the animation.

They selected a tranquil segment of the River Neath in South Wales as the setting for their project, a backdrop that is both visually appealing and a poignant illustration of a habitat endangered by pollution. Over the course of a week, they collaborated with a local team, camping on-site to establish the installation. Filming took an additional week, during which the crew worked in synchronization with the natural environment, recognizing the whimsical nature of weather and water as integral to the project’s allure and difficulty.

Wrigglesworth and Robinson, recognized for producing content for advertising agencies and brands, considered *Flow* to be a rejuvenating shift away from digital work. In an era dominated by computer-generated visual effects, their project is distinguished as a handcrafted effort, grounded in nature and aimed at raising awareness about an urgent environmental concern.

*Flow* presents more than visual creativity; it serves as a rallying cry to preserve the natural river landscapes of the UK. Discover their work and delve into more of their creative ventures at the [Tom & Matt website](https://www.tomandmatt.com/).

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