"Mobius of Movement and Mapping II"

The Mobius of Movement and Mapping II is a sculpture with Michelle Schwengel-Regala in our ongoing multi-island collaborative series showcasing local and global ecologies. This work has been selected for Kahilu Theatre’s annual statewide juried exhibition, “Brilliance of Now: Artwork as a Reflection of a Moment in Time” juried by Mina Elison.

Mobius of Movement and Mapping II, 2021 13⅞” x 10” x 4”, Hawaiian seawater, paint, wire, archival paper, mirror In response to the prospectus, Michelle and I were inspired to highlight the 30x30 global initiative to protect 30% of the oceans by the year 2030. Our mobius sculpture weaves together stories of interconnectedness in nature and our shared experiences as Artists-at-Sea with the Schmidt Ocean Institute. Site-specific seawater painting, wire salvaged from seafloor-mapping equipment, and mirrored substrate are combined to reference the process of seafloor mapping and the feeling of being at sea.

In the Mobius of Movement and Mapping II, the mobius form mimics the movements (heave, sway, surge, roll, pitch, and yaw) we experienced at sea aboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s R/V Falkor. We learned that nearly everywhere the ship travels it is mapping the seafloor with multibeam sonar, a field of study called Bathymetry. All mapping data is contributed to the Nippon Foundation - GEBCO Seabed Project, an international effort to map the entire ocean floor by 2030. With only 10% of the seafloor currently mapped, we know more about the topography of the moon than we do about the ocean floor. It’s critical to gain a detailed picture of the seabed to understand the impacts of climate change and how best to manage and protect this vital system and sustain life on earth. We highlight the 30x30 ocean conservation initiative because action now can have infinitely-positive ripple effects.

“Brilliance of Now” Jan 13 - March 3rd, 2022

Kahilu Theatre, Kamuela Hawai‘i