Witnes the Water: The Living and Dying Faces of Ocean Justice
We were invited to the Conference for Young Marine Researchers in Kiel, Germany, where we presented our exhibition: Witness the Waters – The Living & Dying Faces of Climate Justice.
This exhibition, featuring visual, audio and augmented reality installations, prompted the audience to connect to those affected by climate change and changes in our oceans at an emotional level in a world where data and statistics dominate and intellectualize social justice information.
Our founder, Karan Rathod, spoke about critical role of the arts as a mechanism to mobilize for social change.
Some of our takeaways and conversations included:
Working and representing Indigenous communities both in the arts and sciences MUST be done with people from the communities and not on behalf of them. It must represent their interests and considerations free from colonial approaches we often take.
The science community should consider the arts earlier in their research process, including creating budget space in their grants as a form of communication, dissemination and collaboration.
Both the arts and sciences are experiencing heightened censorship, especially in the United States, which has impacted public funding for projects related so social justice. Looking for private funding from aligned partners is a viable option to supplement funding for projects.
We learned about the wonders of the ocean and the incredible work that marine scientists have been working on, including some of the progress and challenges we are facing with the preservation of our oceans.
A big thank you to the YOUMARES team for giving us the space, platform and connections to have these discussions.
Ocean Poetry
We installed eight poems on transparent paper throughout the center, written by Amber Herzog, Krystal Juffa, Traci Neal, Koby OB, Karan Rathod, Heather Mackay Young, April Zammit.
We also presented two audio installations featuring the voices of Clara Francesca, Alejandra Álvarez Polonia, Saif Khan, Andy Rapista, Findley Hickey and Rosie Howell.
These poems surfaced a side to ocean justice that prompted the audience to process the real implication of climate change, the impact on the ocean, and the stories pertaining to those affected, who are often overlooked in our dialogues about climate justice.
Current
She's Excited!, Anke Schiemann and /p.
CURRENT is an innovative Augmented Reality project that merges the worlds of sound art, environmental and human interconnectedness, and audience engagement. This immersive experience explores the impact of oceanic currents on our planet's climate in a playful way.
Through a unique combination of interactive technology, storytelling and the shared creativity of the audience, we saw the audience captivated by experiencing a deeper connection between interdisciplinary art, nature, and human emotion.
Holding Water: Letters from the Horizon
Nico Earle, United Kingdom – Poet
Artist: Dawn Dudek, Canada – Artist
The Still Point, originally painted on canvas
A Giant’s Breath, originally painted on canvas
This project began with one thought; there is only one water. One ocean circling through forests, through clouds, through air, through breath. Holding Water is a collaboration between Canadian visual artist Dawn Dudek and UK based Irish poet Nico Kos-Earle. The horizon and the water surrounding it are the inspiration for small painted works with poetry to deliver a collection that evokes this fragile and miraculous cycle.
Songs From the Source
Poetry Film
Featured Poets: Findlay Hickey, Whitney Bryan, Navi Singh, Michael Murray, Charlie Rudalavage, Rosie Howell, David Nazario, Koby O.B.
Produced, Filmed & Music by Karan Rathod
This poetry film was produced as part of an exhibition in New York City called Songs From the Source, hosted by the Extended Reality Ensemble. Our connection to the natural world becomes increasingly jeopardized with ongoing urbanization of our living space, with lifestyles that keep us contained to screens and glued to desks, and importantly, the imminent threat of climate change.
This film intends to foster a reconnection between people and nature through poetry across various themes, rooted in the natural world. It prompts us to return to our natural roots to ultimately spark change for climate justice and rethink our disconnection to the nature – where we came from and where we belong.
