A 360° digital scan of the exhibition Undercurrents: Art and Ocean in Africa and the Pacific, Reid Gallery, Glasgow School of Art.

The ocean is essential to life on Earth. It provides over half the planet’s oxygen, absorbs carbon and supports the livelihoods of millions of people. Climate change, over-fishing and pollution are among some of the pressures that threaten the ocean’s health. While there is growing global awareness of the harm being caused, responses most often exclude communities most reliant upon the sea. A source of sustenance and commerce, the ocean also evokes emotions of awe, tranquillity and contentment. Human relationships with the ocean are as varied as each wave that breaks upon the shore.

Undercurrents: Art and Ocean in Africa and the Pacific brought together the creative outputs of eight community-based art projects that surface emotional connections with the ocean. Indigenous knowledge, practices and worldviews were showcased in diverse media ranging from film and song to tapestry and wearable art, created by makers based in Ghana, South Africa, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea.

Recontextualising the ocean as a space that unites rather than separates communities and countries reveals inherent common themes. From the tides of the Pacific to the currents of Africa, the sea is regarded as a sacred place of identity, nurture, healing, spirits and ancestors. Each of the featured works of art embodied locally self-determined priorities, values and aesthetics that reflect the specific circumstances of their production. The projects were supported by the Hub’s DEEP Fund to prioritise marginalised voices in global debates about marine policies and management.