Critical Tide
Curated by Julia Lohmann, Pirjo Haikola, Gillian Russell and Gero Grundmann. Assistant curator Luisa Hilmer.
Critical Tide was a laboratory of possibilities that worked to reimagine and transform how people understand their individual agency in response to the sustainability imperative of the ocean.
In a time of deep ecological crisis. Our continued survival demands that we urgently address the many challenges that face our planet. These challenges are perhaps most evident in the state of the ocean. Rising sea temperatures, ocean acidification, coral bleaching and overexploitation of marine resources signal a critical need for change.
First staged in the Design Museum Helsinki, the exhibition challenged visitors to experiment, learn and immerse themselves, while calling for a complete reimagining of our relationship to the seas. Combining research, activism and community engagement, the works on display ranged from a seaweed design laboratory, to oil absorbent mats made of hair, and an Ocean Confessional booth for confessing sins against the seas.
From speculative projects, to restorative tools, and future scenarios, the exhibition unveiled the complexity of the problems and opportunities in our ocean. It offered a glimpse into a future that is ecologically and socially engaged, reminding us that we too can make a difference.