Under the Sea
Welcome to Moku's first annual virtual exhibition, Under the Sea. It is our privilege to present a collection of artworks that celebrate the majesty of our oceans while advocating for their protection and sustainability. Under the Sea is more than just an exhibition; it is a testament to the profound connection between art and advocacy. Through the talents of passionate artists, we are transported beneath the waves to explore the depths of our oceans and contemplate their future.
Each piece on display embodies the themes of ocean conservation, sustainability, protection, and education, inviting viewers to engage deeply with these critical issues. Our esteemed panel of judges carefully selected artworks that excel in three key categories: visualizing science in a compelling manner, issuing a call to action that inspires change, and transforming the viewer's relationship with the ocean. These criteria reflect our belief in the power of art not only to inform but also to ignite passion and drive tangible progress.
Under the Sea is a collaborative endeavor, born from a shared commitment to preserving our planet's most precious resource. By bringing together artists, scientists, activists, and enthusiasts, we aim to cultivate a community dedicated to the well-being of our oceans. Through this exhibition, we hope to spark conversations, foster connections, and inspire meaningful action.
As we embark on this inaugural journey, we are filled with optimism for the future. It is our fervent hope that Under the Sea will evolve into a beacon of excellence, setting the standard for ocean-focused art exhibitions worldwide. Together, let us continue to celebrate the beauty of our oceans and work tirelessly to ensure their preservation for generations to come.
Thank you for joining us on this extraordinary voyage.
Under the Sea has been endorsed as an Ocean Decade activity. This means that our virtual exhibition will be shared on the Ocean Decade Network, allowing the wonderful work created by the artists to reach a wider audience.
Under the Sea Virtual Exhibition
Why a map?
We made a deliberate choice to present the participating artists within a map format. This decision was motivated by our desire to visually emphasize the global significance of ocean conservation and protection, illustrating how these critical issues resonate across borders and affect us all. By mapping out the diverse locations of the artists, we aim to showcase the widespread engagement with this cause, demonstrating how creatives from various corners of the world are actively addressing and bringing attention to the urgent challenges facing our oceans. Through this spatial representation, we hope to underscore the interconnectedness of our planet and the collective efforts underway to safeguard our marine ecosystems.
The format
We recommend viewing the map on a desktop. If you would like to see the map bigger, just click on the top right square. Every artist is placed on the map with a colored marker. When you click on the marker, you will see a window to the left of your screen with the name of the artist, their piece, the artist’s statement about their work, and a link to their website. Please click on the images so you can see the full image or video. If the artist has several pieces in the exhibition, you can scroll through them using the arrows.
Artworks chosen by the panel of judges
The evaluation phase has concluded, and our panel of judges has selected the following artworks as the exemplars for each category
Visualizing science in a compelling way
Irene Middleton, LittleDrifter, Digital photograph, 3680 x 2456 pixels, November 2020
A call to action that inspires
Katharine A. Owens, Stellar Sea Lion, Plastic Sewn on Canvas, 67.5"x70", July 2021
Changes the viewer’s relationship with the ocean
Geraint Rhys, First Contact, Audio Visual piece, 2023
The judges’ personal favorites
In addition to selecting the top three artworks that exemplify visualizing science in a compelling way, issuing a call to action that inspires, and changing the viewer’s relationship with the ocean, the judges also handpicked their personal favorite piece. This selection process not only highlights the overarching criteria for evaluating the submissions but also acknowledges the subjective resonance that certain artworks may have with individual judges.
I chose Artemis Evlogimenou's image,Tethys and Te Pō sound as my personal selection.
Evlogimenou's submission was powerful and immersive. It regarded the ocean through the combination of image and sound in a non-static way. 'Tethys' is an image that best suits the soundscape through its fluid yet ambiguous surface. 'Te Pō' firstly engages with the beauty of whale song, draws you into the world, and then you are confronted with the Anthropogenic sounds of humans, shipping and the changing soundscape of our oceans. The inhabitants of which, are constantly and increasingly bombarded with the sounds of human interference, this installation is both engaging and moving.
Personal Choice, Alexandra Hehlen, Galapagos Petrel
Light, textures and composition draw me into all of Alexandra's images and the curious perspective they take, looking onto and through the waterline. For people who don’t snorkel or scuba dive or plunge deep in submersibles, the sea surface is all they see. Alexandra brilliantly shows this simple viewpoint in a captivating and original way. The Galápagos Petrel, in particular, kept me looking back. The reflection captures a moment in an extraordinary lifetime spent mostly out beyond the horizon, wandering the ocean. The image is water and sky pressed together in an enigmatic image that leaves us plenty of space to wonder.
Personal Choice, Justine Almaraz, Micro Algae Beings: Just Keep Holding On
This was my personal choice because it feels like a lot of things without showing a single animal. I am currently in the North Pacific diving to depths of over 6000 metres every two days. We are witnessing with our own eyes many species, some strange, some familiar but all made up incredibly intricate parts, assembled in different ways. In this piece I can see a lot of those parts, movements, assemblies and combinations of shapes, if you will, all in there. Some I recognise from large species, some from small, and so this painting for me represents what I would call the library of morphologies of marine species that are somewhere between the familiar and the unfamiliar.
Personal Choice, Katharine A. Owens, Atlantic Herring
Atlantic Herring immediately popped out at me among the submissions for its bright color. I love that the central animal is one of the smaller, lesser-celebrated animals, despite being a critical component of marine ecosystems. I really loved Katharine's whole series of animals created in plastic. We think of plastic in our water bottles and in our straws, but may not consider the near-ubiquity of these items, like in bags of onions or frozen vegetables. I loved that these works showed beloved animals using these less-maligned but extremely prevalent uses of plastic.
My personal choice is:
Geraint Rhys, First contact
My reasoning is:
This piece caught me by surprise. There was a slow reveal as I realized what the artist had done. The voices were charming; in fact, they made me laugh. I was entertained and empathised. The message of the piece could then sneak in and get through the armour of compassion fatigue. There was no finger-wagging or blame. The lives of these likable characters had been greatly impacted by something that wasn’t even directed at them, their lives were just collateral. That they were so matter-of-fact about it made me like them even more.
Personal Choice, Artemis Evlogimenou, Mami Wata and sound piece
Many people think that the underwater world is silent but this work is a testament to the incredible diversity and uniqueness of sound that emanates from this vast space.