The Ocean Agency, UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, and the City of Geneva, have brought the Ocean Decade Exhibition to Geneva thanks to the support of the exhibition’s creativity partner, Adobe. The Exhibition will run until 5 September 2022 at Rotonde du Mont-Blanc.
The Ocean Decade Exhibition is a showcase of surreal photo-art to raise awareness of the importance of the ocean and inspire greater ocean knowledge and conservation during the pivotal UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030 (the Ocean Decade). The Exhibition features nearly thirty artworks from Adobe’s GenCreate community that creatively illustrate the UN’s 7 Principles of Ocean Literacy. These works were submitted to the #CreateWaves campaign, launched by Adobe in partnership with The Ocean Agency and UNESCO.
The Exhibition also includes a selection of “Ocean portraits” from creators, visualizing their personal connection to the ocean, as a reminder that all humans rely on a healthy, productive, and inspiring ocean.
“There is little awareness about the fundamental importance of the ocean to life on our planet. People simply aren’t engaged. This has led to a chronic lack of support for ocean science and conservation. Our aim with this exhibition is to make people see the ocean from a completely new perspective and to think about the importance of protecting it,” said Richard Vevers, CEO and Founder of The Ocean Agency.
The artworks are also being made freely available so anyone can curate and create their own exhibitions. Micro-exhibitions are being planned and displayed in over a thousand venues ranging from schools to aquariums across the globe.
“Adobe believes in the power of creativity and is committed to empowering the global community, so that together we can create change. We are so proud to partner with The Ocean Agency and UNESCO to showcase these amazing pieces of artwork at the Ocean Decade Exhibition,” said Amit Singh, Director of Global Brand Marketing at Adobe.
The Exhibition Program, endorsed as an official activity of the Ocean Decade, was the brainchild of The Ocean Agency, the nonprofit, best known for taking Google Street View underwater and revealing the impacts of climate change on the ocean in the award-winning Netflix Original Documentary, Chasing Coral.
Julian Barbière, Chief of Marine Policy at UNESCO, who heads the Ocean Decade Coordination Unit, welcomed the opportunity to use the Ocean Decade Exhibition “as a means to bring society closer to the high-level policy discussions happening through the UN. Effective, truly transformative ocean action must come from governments and citizens, alike, informed by the best knowledge available. This Exhibition is an important piece in promoting the kind of co-design of knowledge for ocean policies and solutions that we need to create the ocean we want by 2030. That’s what the Ocean Decade is all about,” he added.
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Top Image Credit: Hansruedi Ramsauer, Ying Sin Ong, Tim Helou, Hüseyin Şahin
Contacts:
UNESCO-IOC
Vinicius Lindoso | Email: v.lindoso@unesco.org
The Ocean Agency
Richard Vevers | Email: richard@theoceanagency.org