Articles by Lauren Del Fabbro

World

Artist and explorer Tony Foster hopes his work moves people to protect planet

British artist and environmentalist Tony Foster has said he hopes his art can move audiences to better protect the environment. The 79-year-old explorer is known for his extreme approach to creating large-scale watercolour paintings in some of the most remote parts of the world, which has led to near-death experiences including being charged by a bear. For over 45 years, Foster has embarked by foot, on raft and canoe into the wilderness to paint on the top of mountains, the edge of canyons and even underwater, with a mission to bring awareness to environmental destruction and climate change and document the beauty of the natural world. His work has been captured in the film, Tony Foster: Painting At The Edge, to coincide with a major exhibition of his work at the Royal Watercolour Society titled Exploring Time: A Painter’s Perspective by Tony Foster. Speaking about his work and the risk that involved to create it, Foster told the PA news agency: “It’s important for me because the work is all about absorbing yourself in these places and, in a way, bringing the evidence back to ‘civilisation’ so that people who don’t have the opportunity or the privilege of going to such places can actually see how extraordinary they are, and perhaps strengthen their resolve to protect them, because they’re all under threat one way or another. “As soon as somebody finds a way of of making money out of these places, they’ll be destroyed, just as they are being as we speak and so it’s important that they’re documented.” Over the course of his career he has been on 19 trips around the world including painting all three faces of Everest. On one occasion he spent 23 days in a single location in the restricted access area of the Grand Canyon to paint a 5x7ft canvas. He added: “I defy anybody who sees such things not to be an environmentalist. “I hope that just by seeing my exhibitions, people will be moved to realise just how extraordinary these places are.” The artist added that it is not “unusual” for people to “burst into tears” when looking at his paintings because of how moved they are by the work. “If you can affect people in that way, just with some watercolour on a sheet of paper, then I think that’s worth doing,” he said. “What I want people to take away from (the exhibition) is a sense of humility because it encompasses geological time. Billions or millions of years, all the way through to fleeting moments. And within that, the great sweep of our world’s history, human beings is just a tiny blip with nothing but a blip on the end of a gnat’s eyelash. “I think if we realise that, perhaps we’d be a little less bumptious.” The documentary, released on November 14, uses archival footage, interviews and images of rarely seen locations in the world’s wilderness to retell his life story. It also follows his final expeditions including an eight-day 100-mile canoe exploration of the Green River Wilderness to its confluence with the Colorado River in Utah – which was filmed entirely off-grid using solar power. Director David Schendel described the artist as a “truly fearless painter” who would do anything to get to the right spot for his work. He said: “Tony is showing us the beauty and if we forget the beauty, we’ll forget what we’re fighting for, because we live on the most beautiful planet, obviously, that we’ve ever discovered and may ever discover, and we’re very rapidly destroying it. “Tony is about capturing that beauty, bringing it back to us, showing it to us, and saying, ‘Don’t you think this is worth fighting for?’ “You can’t be a revolutionary unless you’re an optimist. You have to be optimistic and believe that you can change things and that we can save this planet. And Tony gives us the energy to do that. He gives us the reason behind it. “I think that in some ways, that’s just as powerful, if not more powerful, than a direct action which I believe also there’s a place for because we are in kind of desperate times right now. “We’re rapidly approaching a point in time when we won’t be able to reverse climate change. “I think that Tony’s giving us an argument that is apolitical and can reach conservatives and liberals in the same way, and the idea that what we need to do now is come together as humanity to save what we have left of our planet and to move forward from there. “So his message is very strong. It’s quiet, but it’s very strong.” Tony Foster: Painting On The Edge premieres in cinemas on November 14 while the exhibition, Exploring Time: A Painter’s Perspective, will be running at the Royal Watercolour Society gallery in London until December 20.

Politics

BBC director-general Tim Davie to step down following Trump speech edit

Tim Davie has announced he will step down as director-general of the BBC after five years in the role, saying there have “been some mistakes made” and that he had to “take ultimate responsibility”. The chief executive of BBC News, Deborah Turness, also announced her resignation following a newspaper report earlier in the week which accused the corporation of selectively editing a speech by Donald Trump on the day of the US Capitol attack. Mr Davie said his departure will not be immediate and that he is “working through” timings to ensure an “orderly transition” over the coming months, while Ms Turness said in her statement that the controversy around the Panorama edit had “reached a stage where it is causing damage to the BBC – an institution that I love”. The controversy relates to a memo by Michael Prescott, a former external adviser to the BBC’s editorial standards committee, who raised concerns in the summer about the way clips of the US president’s speech on January 6 2021 were spliced together in Trump: A Second Chance? to make it appear he had told supporters he was going to walk to the US Capitol with them to “fight like hell”. The documentary was broadcast by the BBC the week before last year’s US election, which critics have said was misleading and removed a section where the US president said he wanted supporters to demonstrate peacefully. The US president posted on his Truth Social platform to welcome the resignations and to thank the Telegraph for reporting Mr Prescott’s memo. Mr Trump claimed there had been an attempt to “step on the scales of a presidential election”, adding: “What a terrible thing for Democracy!”. The BBC is expected to apologise on Monday after the Culture, Media and Sport Committee asked chairman Samir Shah what actions he would take to address the concerns. Committee chairwoman Dame Caroline Dinenage said Mr Davie’s resignation was “regrettable”, adding “but restoring trust in the corporation must come first”. Mr Shah said it was a “sad day” for the BBC. In a statement sent to staff, Mr Davie said his resignation was “entirely” his decision and that he is “thankful” to the chairman and board for their “unswerving and unanimous support” during his tenure. He said: “Like all public organisations, the BBC is not perfect, and we must always be open, transparent and accountable. “While not being the only reason, the current debate around BBC News has understandably contributed to my decision. “Overall the BBC is delivering well, but there have been some mistakes made and as director-general I have to take ultimate responsibility.” Ms Turness, who has been in the role since 2022, said that she had offered her resignation to Mr Davie on Saturday night, adding that despite mistakes being made, the allegations that BBC News is “institutionally biased are wrong”. In a message sent to staff, she said: “The ongoing controversy around the Panorama on President Trump has reached a stage where it is causing damage to the BBC – an institution that I love. Ms Turness also thanked staff and said she “could not be prouder” of the work they have done, saying that together they helped to grow trust in BBC News. The BBC has been criticised for a number of failings in recent months which include breaching its own accuracy editorial guidelines, livestreaming the controversial Bob Vylan Glastonbury set, as well as misconduct allegations surrounding former MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy thanked Mr Davie for his “service to public service broadcasting” and for leading the BBC through a period of “significant change”. She also stated the Government will support the board through the transition and that the upcoming charter review will help the corporation adapt to a new era that “secures its role at the heart of national life for decades to come”. Ms Nandy said the BBC was “one of our most important national institutions” which told the story of “who we are – the people, places and communities that make up life across the UK”. “Now more than ever, the need for trusted news and high quality programming is essential to our democratic and cultural life, and our place in the world,” she added. Earlier on Sunday, Ms Nandy told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme she was “confident” BBC bosses are treating allegations of bias with “the seriousness that this demands”. The PA news agency understands the BBC will provide further details on the Panorama episode in its letter to the Culture Media and Sport Committee on Monday. Dame Caroline said: “The BBC board must now begin the long process of rebuilding the corporation’s reputation both at home and abroad, after the damage caused by what has become a seemingly constant stream of crises and missteps. The committee will be meeting on Tuesday to consider the BBC chair’s response to our letter and next steps. “At the same time the Government should bring forward the Charter Review process so the public and Parliament can help shape the future direction of the BBC.” BBC chairman Samir Shah said it was a “sad day” for the BBC, adding that Mr Davie had been an “outstanding director-general” who had “propelled the BBC forward with determination, single-mindedness and foresight”. Mr Shah continued: “He is a devoted and inspirational leader and an absolute believer in the BBC and public service broadcasting. “He has achieved a great deal. Foremost, under his tenure, the transformation of the BBC to meet the challenges in a world of unprecedented change and competition is well under way.” The BBC’s Royal Charter, which expires at the end of 2027, sets out the corporation’s mission, public purposes and funding. Ms Nandy said in November last year that the Government would use the review of the charter to consider alternative ways of funding the corporation but ruled out the licence fee being replaced by general taxation.