Oceans fulfil important functions for human livelihoods and wellbeing. They regulate the global climate, provide food and economic resources and offer places of recovery, inspiration and imagination. At the same time, ocean ecosystems and the people depending on them are increasingly threatened by economic exploitation and global warming. While oceans figure prominently in climate scenarios, fish stock calculations, travel brochures, novels and paintings, they also remain a mystery with numerous aquatic species and seabed geographies yet to be discovered, and high shares of people almost entirely without connection to them.  How can we improve engagement, motivation, knowledge and attachment to the oceans? Science and arts are often viewed as offering two different, yet complementary starting points to answer these questions: while science informs and conveys knowledge, artworks provoke emotions and reflection. However, it would be short sighted to reduce science to the factual and the arts to the emotional sphere. 

In this event, we will explore the multiple modes of engaging with oceans that science and the arts offer, illuminating ways to-create knowledge that go beyond the divide of eliciting emotions vs. conveying information. Scientists and artists will share their experiences on collaborating across disciplines, exploring what “knowing about the ocean” means from their perspective and how more holistic forms of knowledge can contribute to more sustainable forms of engaging with the ocean.

We are excited to discuss these questions with sculpture artist Adrien Segal, painter Mbongeni Buthelezi, poet and literary scholar Dr. Craig Santos Perez, publicist and curator Adrienne Goehler, Dr. Angela Pomaro from the Italian National Research Council - Institute for Marine Science, and Dr. Syma Ebbin from the University of Connecticut.

Programme

17:00 h

Opening words

• Dr. Roman Luckscheiter (DUK)
• Prof. Dr. Michael Bruno Klein (DAM)
• Prof. Dr. Anna-Katharina Hornidge (DIE)

17:15 h

Introduction of the event by the moderator

• Dr. Syma Ebbin (University of Connecticut)

Speakers

17:25 h

• Adrien Segal, sculpture artist, U.S.A.

17:45 h

• Mbongeni Buthelezi, painter, South Africa

18:05 h

• Adrienne Goehler, publicist and curator, Germany

18:25 h

• Dr. Craig Santos Perez, spoken word poet and literary scholar, Guam

18:45 h Break

19:00 h

• Panel with artists and Dr. Angela Pomaro, Institute of Marine Sciences, Italy

19:55 h

• Wrap-up and final words by Dr. Syma Ebbin and Prof. Dr. Anna-Katharina Hornidge

20:00 h End