Alastair Cook
“Filmpoem is an artists’ moving image project founded by artist Alastair Cook in 2010. As a collective, Filmpoem delivers education and community projects, and promotes the work of poets, filmmakers and composers. Filmpoem collaborates with organisations such as the Southbank, The Poetry Society, Poetry International, the Scottish Poetry Library, Alchemy, Antwerpen Boekenstad, Poëziecentrum and Haus für Poesie.”
“The combination of film and poetry is an attractive one. For the poet, perhaps a hope that the filmmaker will bring something to the poem: a new audience, a visual attraction, the laying of way markers; for the filmmaker a fixed parameter to respond to, the power of text sparking the imagination with visual connections and metaphor.” – Alastair Cook, Anon 7
Filmpoem’s core team comprises of artist, editor and director Alastair Cook, electro-acoustic composer Luca Nasciuti and cinematographer James William Norton. We are based in Edinburgh, travel well and are open to commission.
Edinburgh-based artist Alastair Cook studied architecture at the Glasgow School of Art where he developed a focussed interest in video and photography. During his time in architectural practice, he developed skills in visual communication and project delivery that underpin a parallel development in his artistic practice.
Alastair has exhibited and screened internationally and has video and photographic artworks in several collections. His work in developing and sustaining relationships within tight-knit communities has elicited funding to work as artist-in-residence with organisations in Scotland, Lithuania and Norway. He is an active workshop teacher and visiting lecturer and has extensive experience of independent working, gathering of independent funding and success in exhibiting and screening work both in collaboration and as a solo artist.
Alastair has delivered projects funded by Creative Scotland and Heritage Lottery Fund, leading a series of visual arts programmes supporting emergent and established artists. He currently leads arts organisation Integrated Artists. As a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts he practices as an innovative arts contributor with a social conscience.
You can learn more about Alastair Cook at both alastaircook.com and filmpoem.com.