Dwellers Charity Exhibition Vol. II About the Charity Global Coralition
FeaturesBy ArtXMagazine2023.08.10 Update
Continuing from the previous volume, we will feature the charity exhibition "Dwellers" held at RVCA Shibuya Gallery, which supports up-and-coming artists. In this second volume of the article, we would like to talk about the charity support for the Global Coralition, which was realized through the collaboration between ArtX and RVCA. We also want to discuss the significance of our activities through this exhibition, Dwellers.
For this charity exhibition, Global Coralition was selected as the recipient of the proceeds. They are an organization composed of scientists and artists whose goal is to regenerate marine ecosystems.
Founded in 2017 by Angeline Chen and Kyle Block, Global Coralition is currently working in partnership with a research lab at the University of Hawaii to regenerate coral reefs, which are essential to support 25% of all marine life and an estimated 1 billion people worldwide. Specifically, they focus on how to efficiently cultivate corals on land and in the ocean without damaging the marine ecosystem, and how to raise corals that are adapted to the environment. Between 2020 and 2022, they conducted a verification of microfragmentation (a process that slice coral to accelerate its growth rate by 25 to 50 times). After successfully observing an acceleration in the growth rate, they are preparing to build a large-scale land-based coral farm. The farm will be capable of growing a diverse range of resilient corals that are better adapted to the current marine environment.
One thing that is particularly significant about Global Coralition’s work is that it is not limited to scientific research works - They also promote their approaches to coral rehabilitation projects through a wide range of field, including art and communities worldwide.
Guided by local cultural experts, they are engaging in collaborative efforts with artists and community members to produce artworks that embody the unique cultural characteristics of the region. In order to minimize environmental impact, they have utilized eco-friendly materials, pH neutral cement, which have been carefully researched and studied for their effectiveness in regenerating coral reefs. This art works are actively being carried out to contribute to the maintenance of the marine ecosystem through the regeneration of coral by actually installing it on the seabed.
In addition, through their ecotourism and educational programs, awareness is being raised among people and efforts are being made to promote community participation. These works of art are being actively implemented to help maintain the marine ecosystem by regenerating coral through its installation on the seabed. Furthermore, they offer ecotourism and educational programs that serve to awareness among people and encourage their participation in the community.
A project was conducted in Sosua Bay, an area of the Dominican Republic where the coral reefs have suffered a significant loss of 90%. With the collaboration of artists, a sculpture standing at approximately 4.6 meters (15 feet) was created from coral restoration materials aforementioned above, modeled after Atabey, the Mother of the Ocean for the Arawak/Taino indigenous people in the region. After a period of four months following the installation, the process of coral reef calcification and cementation, characterized by the chemical reaction of the coral skeleton with seawater, was observed, thereby demonstrating the recovery of the ecosystem. The local restoration group, known as Eco Koh Tao, has been actively utilizing the site as a diving destination, an educational facility, and a restoration site, thus contributing to the revitalization of the surrounding local community. Furthermore, the installation of 36 pyramids has been made around the artwork, with the implementation of 5,000 coral transplants, which have successfully facilitated the habitation of over 20 species. In the near future, they are planning to collaborate with the Magua Foundation, an NGO in the Dominican Republic, to launch the region's first onshore coral aquaculture operation on the northern coast of the country. For this charity exhibition, 20% of the proceeds were donated to this coral cultivation project.
We connected with the Global Coralition through the involvement of Escott Reed, who not only supporting artist of this exhibition but also participated in Global Coralition’s project as a structural engineer. Global Coralition's interdisciplinary and multifaceted approach to addressing social and environmental issues aligns with ArtX's commitment to using art as a means of tackling such problems and raising awareness. In addition, Global Coralition's vibrant art showcases the theme of "the interconnection between humans and nature," which serves as the central theme of this exhibition, through their interdisciplinary activities. As a result of these factors, Global Coralition was deemed an ideal organization to support the charitable aspect of this exhibition.
Researching various activity groups reveals that many people share the same vision. More people than imagined recognize the importance of our natural connection as humans and are searching for a future where we can coexist with the environment. Amidst such circumstances, by collaborating across fields with a broad perspective, as demonstrated in the "Dwellers" exhibition by ArtX and Global Coalition, each vision can transcend countries and cultures. In this way, various points connect, and actions towards the environment that started from small triggers, could lead to a major positive change as a whole.
