DATA SHEET
Title / Título:
SEA Reflection and connection / MAR Reflejo y conexión
Team members / Miembros del equipo:
Lisa Derksen Castillo (NL, ES) artist / artista, María del Carmen Romero Ternero (ES) engineer / ingeniera and Miguel Mendoza Malpartida (ES) artist / artista
Scientist / Científico:
Xavier Salvador Costa (ES) biologist and researcher / biólogo e investigador
Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM, CSIC)
Seed / Semilla:
“Playas con vida”
Technique / Técnica:
Installation, metal sculpture, and interactive videomapping /
Instalación, escultura metálica y videomapping interactivo
Dimensions / Dimensiones:
150 x 300 x 20 cm
SEED
Many times we travel all over the planet to visit places and species that impress us and that we want to see someday. Similarly, many studies focus on remote areas far from where we live. This effect is even more pronounced in cities, as we see them as entirely anthropogenic zones and not as ecosystems (altered, yes, but ecosystems in themselves). For this reason, we initiated an event: the BioMARathon, a citizen science Bioblitz to census the largest number of species in a specific area and time. This event, which has been taking place for several years, extends from May to October to adapt to marine weather conditions. To encourage participation, we organize a friendly competition between provinces to see who reports the most observations, species, or participants, in collaboration with entities such as FECDAS, Pláncton Diving, and Anéllides to facilitate access to the sea. The environment is changing, and together we hold the key to better understanding these changes.
THE VISION OF THE CREATORS OF THE WORK
Just as the sea reflects external lights and reveals the colors and shapes of its interior, SEA Reflection and Connection contemplates marine biodiversity awareness through lighting effects where interaction is essential. The videomapping on this volumetric piece invites viewers to embark on a journey of stillness and contemplation in the richness of the ocean depths. Eyes, colorful and deformed, flow and transform over the surface of the metallic structure, appearing and disappearing into one another. In this way, the different species look back at us, calling to be seen, protected, and preserved.
The installation’s structure, inspired by the undulating shapes produced on the water’s surface, acts as a dynamic canvas displaying images from the MINKA project. The reflective material of the piece illuminates and projects the images back into the exhibition space, allowing for immersion in an enveloping and ephemeral atmosphere. The viewer’s interaction with the piece blurs the images, posing the challenge of discerning what is right in front of our eyes and capturing the essence of what is visible and invisible in our marine environment.
The main goal is that, through a continuous interplay between marine species and human interaction, there is a recognition of the species shown, with the intention of making known those species that remain unknown to the majority of the population.
CURATOR'S VISION OF THE WORK
The artwork SEA Reflection and Connection introduces us to various levels of reflection on perception, reality, and the interaction between the observer and the observed. The use of reflective materials and lighting effects in the artwork reflects the philosophical concept of perception as a mirror of reality. Just as the sea reflects light, the artwork reflects not only physical light but also, metaphorically, the less visible aspects of marine life.
In this installation, our perception is not passive; we are active participants in how reality is formed and understood. The goal of recognizing and making known species that remain largely unknown to the public aligns with the philosophical exploration of knowledge and ignorance.
SEA Reflection and Connection is not just an artistic exploration but a journey that invites viewers to rethink their relationship with the natural world, the act of perception, and human impact on marine ecosystems. The artwork serves as a bridge between the known and the unknown, the visible and the invisible, urging a deeper, more reflective engagement with our planet’s marine environments.
Con la colaboración de la Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología – Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades @fecyt_ciencia
