The Seagrass Walk is Open

The Seagrass Walk is officially open. If you were to walk through the National Marine Aquarium today, you would encounter my artwork. This is my first exhibition in a national museum or gallery. It feels special and surreal knowing that an estimated 300,000 people will see my art in the next 12 months. It’s a number so huge I can’t really fathom it.

On Friday night the first 50 or so of those people came to the official opening to enjoy drinks, canapes, talks and the unveiling. It was incredible to look around the aquarium and see so many people, faces I know and faces I don’t, engaging with my art.

Thanks to the miracle workings of my sister Kim, who made countless phone calls and had hours of conversations on my behalf, the missing pieces of the installation arrived in time to be on display – though not installed – and so everything I had had planned and made was in the building.

As people stood taking it all in, I stood watching. This idea has been in my head for so long that suddenly having it there in the open for all to see was a shock. People lingered, they watched the entire video, they moved between my art and tanks, seeing the underwater world of seagrass meadows reflected in both, they read they interp, they walked back on themselves to look again.

It was everything I could have hoped for.

The unveiling was followed by talks in front of what is known as the Eddystone tank, a huge floor to ceiling tank full of incredible life. I spoke about my journey, about the story behind the project, and the importance of art in the fight against the climate crisis. I was bookended by Professor Martin Attrill who explained what blue carbon and seagrass are, and Luke Pollard, MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, who talked of the importance of ocean literacy and engagement. As always, I don’t remember much of what I said. I have taught myself to speak in front of people, but my shyness seems to manifest in a blank space where the memories should be. I do know that people came up to me afterwards to tell me how much they enjoyed what I said, how important my art and my words were, and how much they loved what I’d created.

And that is everything I had dreamt of.

There is still more to do. The light art installation will go up in the next week or so, and I can’t wait to see it all completed. Nor can I wait for the summer of ocean events across Plymouth in which The Seagrass Walk will feature, including an exhibition at the Climate Hub. But for right this moment the hard work has been done, the art is in place, and as I write this people are looking at it.

That is a feeling like no other.