UNDERWATER ECOTONES

‘Underwater Ecotones’ is the project chosen for the Art & Science Residency – ‘A Call to the Sea’, from the Bauhaus of Sea Sails.

This project aims to investigate underwater soundscapes, noise, and vibrations in the aquatic world, directly engaging with live species from the Aquário Vasco da Gama’s collection. Additionally, it aims to rethink the museum’s space, envisioning the possibilities and impact of a future museum-aquarium.

It crosses the overarching context of Next Generation EU, SDG 14, and Descriptor 11 of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The scientific concepts that sustain artistic development are based on the importance of mitigating anthropogenic noise impacts to achieve Good Environmental Status in European waters. Particularly, understanding and revealing the detrimental effects of introduced anthropogenic noise and vibration on aquatic life. The artistic inquiry focuses on exploring forms of collaborating with more-than-human species by investigating and revealing forms of underwater communication, intelligence, sensory experiences and adaptations, inquiring how these species might perceive sound pollution, addressing problems beyond the Anthropocene by recording and revealing underwater soundscapes, bringing to light the less visible narratives of water such as communication through vibration and particle motion, and the concepts of masking and sound propagation beyond human perception.

Led by Francisca Rocha Gonçalves (PT), in collaboration with Kira Gama Rocha (PT), Johannes Goessling (DE) and Pedro Frade (PT)

During the residency, we involved local communities through various public activities, such as conducting workshops and field recordings in the Tagus River, and through underwater listening workshops, we invited the local community to experience the river in a new light, exploring its soundscapes and discovering new dimensions of their familiar surroundings. This engagement fosters a deeper connection between people, nature, and the place, enriching communal bonds and environmental consciousness.

The underwater listening workshops served as a platform for experiential learning and community engagement, fostering inclusivity while promoting nature-connectedness through sound. By integrating activities that engage the community and foster art-science expression, this project promotes collaboration, innovation, and sustainability in the pursuit of a more harmonious relationship between humans and nature.