Into the Great Dying: Roles We Play
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See ambitious and experimental art installations that activate MOCA's Paradise Courtyard as part of the museum's inaugural public commissioning program, Welcome to Paradise. For the second installation in the program's series, Welcome to Paradise presents Into the Great Dying: Roles We Play, a thought-provoking ceramic sculpture installation that engages with the marine landscape and highlights the declining coral reef ecosystems and the impact of human actions.
As an alternative to the rhetoric on how humans have contributed to damaging the earth's fragile ecosystems, this installation instead encourages audiences to participate in rebuilding a reef. The tactile experience of holding replicas of at-risk local coral species aims to create a grounding experience for visitors, encouraging them to take a mindful approach to the rapidly shifting climate.
The installation features hundreds of hand-casted pieces that represent various species of native coral. When assembled by visitors, the resulting sculptures are meant to represent the South Florida reef system. The five species selected by the artist are Staghorn (Acropora cervicornis), Elkhorn (Acropora palmata), Brain (Diploria labyrinthiformis), Pillar (Dendrogyra cylindricus) and Sea Fan (Gorgonia ventalina) coral. These species range in shape and size, reflecting the local biodiversity. Each one is common to the area and is either at risk of extinction or used for restoration project such as coral nurseries.
Welcome to Paradise features temporary public art projects by local South Florida artists. The inaugural edition of Welcome to Paradise will showcase artists with works that explore the intersection of ecology and technology. The exhibit made possible with major support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Additional support was provided by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.