“WE ARE OCEAN Global Program
in Venice 2022 @ Palazzina Canonica, Riva dei Sette Martiri, 1364/A, Venice”

The international program “WE ARE OCEAN” curated by Anne-Marie Melster will present a selection of projects in Venice during the professional Opening week of the Venice Art Biennale from 18 to 22 April 2022 at Palazzina Canonica, Riva dei Sette Martiri, 1364/A, to sharpen public awareness about ocean protection and climate change in the context of international art events and to trigger public participation by engaging young people, artists, collectors, philanthropists, curators, and other stakeholders coming together in Venice in 2022.

“WE ARE OCEAN” Global Program is an interdisciplinary art project to raise awareness about our interdependence with the Ocean from 2019 to 2030.

“WE ARE OCEAN” in Venice 2022 is an interactive journey created by ARTPORT_making waves curated by Anne-Marie Melster, co-curated by Anastasia Loginova which gathers several interdisciplinary projects with public radiation in an emblematic building in the heart of Venice during the professional opening days of the Venice Art Biennale. We put the ocean at the center of our discussions. Why: At least every second breath we take is generated by the oceans and humankind cannot survive on a planet with lifeless seas. All ecosystems are connected by water and damage to one ecosystem causes rippling effects throughout the world. At a fundamental level, marine life helps determine the very nature of our planet. The effect of climate change, ocean acidification, and oxygen depletion have already triggered a phase of extinction of marine species which contribute significantly to the oxygen cycle and regulation of Earth’s climate. (text: Elizabeth Ogilvie)

The ocean is as dependent on us, humankind, as we are on the ocean. It is time to act, we talked a lot already. WE ARE OCEAN @ Venice Biennale will engage civil society to start to take action through joint activities and commitments. Through the below-mentioned projects, we aim at intensifying public engagement bringing together citizens, students, art collectors, international scientists, partner NGOs, educators, and more stakeholders.

AGENDA 

WE ARE OCEAN is hosted by the Institute of Marine Sciences – National Research Council (CNR-ISMAR, historical head), and several other Venetian and international partners including iii at the historical headquarters of CNR-ISMAR Palazzina Canonica, Riva dei Sette Martiri.

The WE ARE OCEAN hub will host workshops, film screenings, and discussions with artists, marine scientists, and students, curators, activists, alongside members of the public. This ambitious environmental programme will be an invaluable catalyst and educational tool for educators, curators, students, and the public, bringing together interdisciplinary voices.

Monday, 18 April 2022, 8 – 11 pm

Outdoor projection in the garden by Anita Glesta (“Watershed”)

Tuesday, 19 April 2022 1 – 6 pm:

WE ARE OCEAN Global program with talks, screenings, panel discussions, garden gatherings:

focus Ocean Literacy

Anne-Marie Melster 13:00

Angela Pomaro (CNR-ISMAR) 13:15

Francesca Santoro (UNESCO, Ocean Literacy for All Program) 13:30

Fiona Middleton (University of Southampton) 13:45

Tita Salina+ Irwan Ahmett WE ARE OCEAN Jakarta artist talk 14:00

Barena Bianca WE ARE OCEAN Venice artist talk 14:30

Marc Johnson WE ARE OCEAN Marseille film screening 15:00
artist talk 15:15

WE ARE OCEAN Vancouver Presentation of podcasts by Cease Wyss and Oliver Salvas 15:45

Lisa Rave  WE ARE OCEAN Berlin-Brandenburg film screening 16:15
artist talk 16:45

fishbowl panel discussion with everybody 17-18:00

Outdoor projection in the garden: 8 – 11 pm: WE ARE OCEAN Curated Film Program with videos by Tue Greenfort, Marina Zurkow, Ursula Biemann, Susanne M. Winterling, Parvathi Nayar, Michelle-Marie Letelier

Wednesday, 20 April 2022 12 – 5pm:

WE ARE OCEAN Venice with a performance by the artists Barena Bianca with young school students; WE ARE OCEAN Wadden Sea with talks, screenings, panel discussions, garden gatherings,

Speakers: Anastasia Loginova (curator), Matteo Marangoni (iii, The Hague), Sophia Bulgakova (artist), Sander van der Dijk (marine biologist, head of programming & content, World Heritage Centre Wadden Sea WEC via zoom), Hicham Khalidi (Jan van Eyck Academy), Pietro Consolandi (artist), Fabio Cavallari (artist)Barena Bianca performance with school students in the garden and in the room with a speech and screening of map 12-14:30

Barena Bianca performance with school students in the garden and in the room with a speech and screening of map 12-14:30

Anne-Marie Melster introduction WAO Wadden Sea  including the project KUNSTREUSEN by Insa Winkler 14:30

Anastasia Loginova 14:45

Sophia Bulgakova 15:00

Matteo Marangoni 15:30

Hicham Khalidi 15:45

Screenings of films

Open Fishbowl Discussion

Outdoor projection in the garden: 8 – 11 pm: WE ARE OCEAN Curated Film Program with videos by Tue Greenfort, Marina Zurkow, Ursula Biemann, Susanne M. Winterling, Parvathi Nayar, Michelle-Marie Letelier

Thursday, 21 April 2022 1:30 pm – 4 pm:

INTO THE OCEANIC, indoor workshop (topic seaweed)Speakers: Rosalia Santoleri (CNR-ISMAR), Elizabeth Ogilvie and Rob M. Page (INTO THE OCEANIC), Anne-Marie Melster, Professor William Austin (via zoom, Chairman of Blue Carbon Scotland School of Geography & Sustainable Development – researching salt-marshes Scottish Oceans Institute University of St Andrews, Scotland), Jason Byles (via zoom, seaweed forager Scotland)

Outdoor projection in the garden: 8 – 11 pm: WE ARE OCEAN Curated Film Program with videos by Tue Greenfort, Marina Zurkow, Ursula Biemann, Susanne M. Winterling, Parvathi Nayar, Michelle-Marie Letelier

Friday, 22 April 2022 1:30 – 5 pm:

WE ARE OCEAN Global Program (Berlin-Brandenburg, Sápmi, Honduras, Jakarta, Wadden Sea Denmark and Germany) with talks, screenings, panel discussions, and garden gatherings.

Speakers: Julia Moritz (curator), Tue Greenfort (artist WE ARE OCEAN Wadden Sea and Curated Film Program), Matti Aikio (artist WE ARE OCEAN Sápmi), Tita Salina, and Irwan Ahmett (artists WE ARE OCEAN Jakarta), Pável Aguilar (artist WE ARE OCEAN Honduras), Lisa Rave (artist WE ARE OCEAN Berlin-Brandenburg), Insa Winkler (artist WE ARE OCEAN Wadden Sea, via zoom) with open fishbowl discussion

Outdoor projection in the garden: 8 – 11 pm: WE ARE OCEAN Curated Film Program with videos by Tue Greenfort, Marina Zurkow, Ursula Biemann, Susanne M. Winterling, Parvathi Nayar, Michelle-Marie Letelier

Image: INTO THE OCEANIC, Elizabeth Ogilvie + Robert Page, film still, 2021.