Sea And Brittle Stars (Last Refuge) is a commission from "Submersive Atmospheres" a sci-art initiative of Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg, The Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, and The Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg.
"Unterwasser Kino" commissioned eight artists to work on original AV works with eight scientists to be exhibited publicly in December 2024. Details: https://hifmb.de/transfer/art-science/submersive-atmospheres/
The Southern Ocean around Antarctica is warming faster than the rest of the planet, causing the rise of global sea levels, changes in ocean currents and a decline in the availability of marine living resource.
The Weddell Sea is considered one of the last refuges for many marine species dependent upon cold, pristine waters for survival. It is imperative that the region gain the status of a marine protected area (MPA) to try to mitigate the consequences of climate change and prevent future expansion of fishing in this area. However, some countries that are part of the Antarctic Treaty still withhold their support for MPAs due to their geopolitical and commercial interests, thereby failing to secure the safety of this unique and increasingly fragile habitat.
The music in this work is born from a dataset of 180 benthic species (creatures that dwell on the seafloor) whose presence and absence were recorded in the Weddell Sea between 1983 and 2011. The data and accompanying imagery, processed through the artist’s electronic palette, speaks to the mystery and vulnerability of this precious territory, the last refuge.
Sea and Brittle Stars (Last Refuge) is a collaboration between Michael Begg, Katharina Teschke and Flavia Bellotto Trigo.
Katharina Teschke is a marine ecologist from Germany. She specialises in marine spatial planning in the Southern Ocean. She works with German ministries to translate scientific findings into policy and is leading the proposal for the Weddell Sea Marine Protected Area Phase 1 for the German delegation to the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources.
Flavia Bellotto Trigo is an ecologist from Brazil, now based in Oldenburg, Germany. She is supporting the establishment of the Weddell Sea Marine Protected Area Phase 1 by curating and analysing biodiversity data to identify priority areas for protection.
