Text From Exhibition Catalogue:
ODE (An Acknowledgement of Sea Country) transformed the first 12 weeks of a year-long project into an immersive process-based, deconstructed, expanded cinema experience. Presented as a series of handmade experimental cameraless micro-animation rushes, living macroalgae ink tests, pressed seaweed, DIY bio-celluloid, sunprints created using various layers photosensitive emulsion derived from macroalgae, and a soundscape created from the bio-sonification of marine flora, these artworks-in-progress materially and processually manifest the expansive, liquid intelligence of the ocean and the vibrancy of its intricately interconnected ecosystems.
Inviting viewers to explore their deep connections with the ocean and urging a reconsideration of our role in its stewardship, the works-in-process in ODE (An Acknowledgement of Sea Country) emerge from a methodology that people of the Noongar Nation in the Southwest corner of Australia refer to as ‘Boodja neh’, or deep listening to Country. Every week for 12 weeks I visited and walked the same stretch of shoreline on Whadjuk Country. Same day, same time, same place. I collected what was gifted from the sea. 7 litres of water a week was taken, frozen, and then thawed to create 35mm celluloid strips. Seaweed was found and pressed or blended to create photosensitive emulsion. Every day was a new day. Every time I was mesmerised. Every moment taught me the importance of paying attention, of listening deeply. And what I found was as a wadjella (white fella), this practice of ‘boodjar neh’ allowed me (and maybe you?) an opportunity to learn from the ocean, cultivating a more fluid way of seeing, thinking, and being in the world, that expands our human capacity for care, custodianship, and moral obligation.
By relating to the ocean in this way, we discover the interconnectedness of all life and the complex integral entanglements that make up our human, nonhuman, and more-than-human worlds. Serving as a call to action that summons reflection upon our relationship with the ocean and how we contribute to its preservation and vitality, through the convergence of art and science, this project offers a glimpse into futures grounded in reciprocity, understanding, and shared responsibility. By embodying the principles of deep listening and engaging with the ocean as a living, sentient entity, ODE (An Acknowledgement of Sea Country) re-evaluates our ethical and ecological commitments and encourages a collective movement towards more symbiotic ways of coexisting with all our marine kin.
