Coral Love

Coral Love was part of the Planet for our Future: How do we adapt to a transforming world? season at the Sainsbury Centre, Norwich, UK.

This display included two artworks that explore ways to better respond to coral at a time of ecological crisis: Sonia Levy’s For the Love of Corals, and Kasia Molga’s Coral Love Story: Chapter 1- Getting Acquainted.

Coral reefs are essential to ocean health and the flourishing of human and nonhuman life. Yet they face numerous threats including rising sea temperatures, pollution, and ocean acidification which lead to bleaching events and the destruction of these vibrant ecosystems.   

As some of the most biodiverse habitats on the planet, coral reefs are home to 25% of marine life and can be tens of thousands of years old. These fascinating underwater worlds form from colonies of stony coral polyps that live in symbiotic relation with zooxanthellae (algae). However, the delicate balance of these fragile ecologies is at risk at a time of human-caused climate breakdown.  

These two artworks examine how care, concern and affection are enacted by artists and scientists towards securing the survival of these marine invertebrates.   

Together, the works propose that by paying close attention to others and developing a deeper sense of connection, respect and understanding, we might better work towards multispecies survival.      

Curated by Sarah Wade, Art History & World Art Studies, UEA  

 

Sonia Levy  
For the Love of Corals 
2018  
HD, Stereo sound  
24 minutes 40 seconds  

Levy shows the intimate entanglements of scientists and coral at the heart of Project Coral. This conservation programme at the Horniman Museum & Gardens was the first to spawn coral in captivity, presenting hope for repairing wild reefs. The living coral is presented alongside the museum’s historical natural history collections, which represent very different forms of preservation.   

Written and directed by Sonia Levy   
Cinematography: Sonia Levy  
Edit: Sonia Levy & Sam Smith  
Soundtrack and located sound: Jez Riley French  
Music: Georgia Rodgers  
Distal Theories, performed by Two New Duo: Ellen Fallowfield (cello) and Stephen Menotti (trombone)  
Partial Filter, performed by David Powell (tuba)  
Coral eggs & embryos development time-lapses: Jamie Craggs & Sonia Levy  

  
Many thanks to : 
Project Coral: Jamie Craggs; Michelle Davies, Chloé Priestland, Keri O’Neil; and The Horniman Museum and Gardens: Alison McKay and Connie Churcher, Emma Nicholls, Jo Hatton and Henry Rowsell; Filip Tydén, Nella Aarne and Sam Smith, Alexandra Arènes and Soheil Hajmirbaba, Anna Ricciardi, Ayesha Keshani.  
For the Love of Corals was produced with the support of Obsidian Coast & Fluxus Art Projects.  

 

Kasia Molga  
Coral Love Story: Chapter 1- Getting Acquainted  
2017  
Video   
3 minutes 47 seconds  

This dancer is shown responding to coral reef bleaching alerts via a ‘wearable’ device that translates data from marine stations into sensations palpable to the human body.   
Experiencing the effects of climate change from a nonhuman perspective might prompt empathy across species boundaries. This work foregrounds the role of affection in facilitating co-species survival.