Pelagic

Liv Boyle, Jennifer Lavers and Sara Retallick.

The pelagic zone encompasses the majority of the water column from the open ocean to the coral reef, and all species inhabiting it.

This research based site-responsive collaboration between contemporary jeweller Liv Boyle, marine biologist Dr Jennifer Lavers, and sound artist Sara Retallick, explores the environmental impact of plastic waste converging in our oceans.

In 2017 Lavers led a ground breaking Research Expedition to Henderson Island of the Pitcairn Group, exposing “exceptional and rapid accumulation of anthropogenic debris on one of the world’s most remote and pristine islands” (Lavers, 2017). A World Heritage site noted for its isolation and biodiversity, Lavers’ discovery broke global headlines; 38 million pieces of plastic waste choked Henderson’s East Beach. Arguably one of Earth’s last vestiges of paradise, this uninhabited coral atoll provides a safe haven for migratory species like the Masked Booby, the Red Tailed Tropic Bird and Murphy’s Petrels. Situated in the heart of the South Pacific Gyre, it also contains the highest density of plastic pollution on record.

Influenced by expert observations and quantitative data, the artists present new works utilising material collected by Lavers during the second Research Expedition conducted in June 2019. This unique collaboration sees the coming together of disciplines: object, jewellery, sound, and science, discussing site-specific ecologies under extreme pressure.

Image | Liv Boyle, Mollusc, Baby, 2019, found object, 95 x 80 x 100mm, Photo: Liv Boyle | Courtesy the artist.