This exhibition presents a range of poetic and speculative responses to coral, the small marine animals which form the foundations of healthy reef ecologies, now facing unprecedented, existential threats from human-induced climate change.
Coral has long been considered the “canary down the coal mine” of climate change, due to its susceptibility to rising ocean temperatures, weather events like cyclones, and agricultural run-off. These impacts manifest themselves through increasingly frequent and severe coral bleaching, destruction by crown of thorns starfish, and related mass die-off events, making the species one of the most visible victims of the climate crisis.
Viewed primarily from a distance through media coverage, the challenges wrought by climate change can appear daunting and insurmountable. Focusing instead on a single species, Coral Futures seeks to make sense of the cascading environmental crises now being experienced in Australia, as well as globally. The artworks and practices brought together in this exhibition demonstrate a plurality of approaches and a sustained engagement with the subject. Together, they offer multiple, considered perspectives, acknowledging coral’s deep cultural significance for First Nations people, its economic and social value to coastal communities, and its vulnerability to rising sea temperatures and shifting weather patterns. Coral Futures speaks to these and many other connections that render this species vital to the health, or decline, of our planet.
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