A PROJECT by Manchester artist Daniel Staincliffe will explore wild boar in the Forest, try to interact with them and even get them to take their own portraits!

Daniel has a three-week residency in the Forest supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and Forestry Commission England.

He will produce new work including videos, images and wooden mechanical sculpture, all designed to interact with and document wild boar – even getting them to trigger their own snaps.

"I developed the project and approached FC with the idea," he told the Review.

"When I first learnt that wild boar were present in the UK I thought it would be a challenge to try and photograph them using the sculptures I make as part of my 'Fauna Automata' project – where wild animals trigger their own photographs.

"I hadn't visited the Forest until initial meetings with FC in January. Since then I've done a little exploring on visits and am really looking forward to exploring it during my three-week residency.

"Everyone I've met here so far has been very friendly and most have gone out of their way to help me. Today (Monday) is the first day of my residency so I have only just had time to pitch my tent. People can follow my progress via my website (http://www.danielstaincliffe.com/WildBoar">www.danielstaincliffe.com/WildBoar).

"So far I've only ever seen wild boar in a farm in Preston – hopefully i'll be lucky enough to see one during my residency. I know they can be very elusive."

Overall the project aims to raise public awareness of the reintroduction of wild boar in the UK, and the artist says he hopes that exploring wild boar through art will promote cultural benefits of their reintroduction, and provide a new angle on the debate surrounding the future of the species in Britain.

Among blogs on the Manchester artist's website of the project:

•"I had to share this excerpt from the Verderers of the Forest of Dean website that made me laugh out loud:

'Boar are now interacting with people on a regular basis throughout the Forest and some dogs have been injured or killed although there have been no injuries to people other than to a man trying to feed a large boar by hand while a child hit it with a stick'."

•"This week I had my first taste of wild boar: a tasty, filling and well-priced wild boar and pheasant pie served up at The Britons Protection in Manchester. Whilst it was good eating it probably wasn't the best way to get to grips with wild boar as the flavours of the pheasant and pie filling were competing. Maybe I need to try it cooked à la Ray Mears!"

Daniel Staincliffe will talk about his practice and current project at Beechenhurst Lodge on Saturday (July 8,11am-12noon. To book contact Wendy Arnold on 01594 833057 or at [email protected]">[email protected]