Seagrass In the Atrium
Abstract Seagrass Art in Seaport, Boston
May 1-June 1, 2024
Opening Reception:
Thursday, May 23rd, 4:30-6PM
Guest Ecologist Talk: Dr. Phil Colarusso 5-5:20PM
The Atrium, 2nd Floor
John Joseph Moakley Federal Courthouse
1 Courthouse Way
Boston, MA 02210
tel: 617.261.2440
It always amazes when science and art come together, with this fusion of different disciplines that coalesce. For me, it’s a space where everyone is sharing their gifts for a common goal: our planet. I have had the privilege of going on many seagrass restoration projects and attending wonderful meetings where I learn so much from my scientist friends. What I love about our local marine biologist community is their insights, and their ability to turn research into hands on projects that make a difference. Such as transplanting and regrowing seagrass. For me, back in the studio, these awe inspiring experiences are translated into paint. Abstract marks, textures and colors form to create organic shapes, where I try to capture the magnificence of our oceans.
Please join us for my solo exhibit “ Seagrass in the Atrium” at the Boston Courthouse in Seaport, will be on Thursday, May 23rd 4:30- 6:00PM.
My “Seagrass in the Atrium” exhibition features a selection of paintings that explore different aspects of seagrass ecology. Some of the art references how seagrass slows down wave action and helps mitigate shore erosion. Others are about how the meadow can help clean the water column. In the painting above, 4.7 Billion to 30 Billion for example, I explore high energy geometric patterns that represent the bustling urban center as it borders the quieter harbor. It’s a visual retelling of how the community came together for the Boston Harbor Clean Up in the 80s with an investment $4.7 Billion. Today this clean up has resulted in more than 30 Billion in ecosystem services.
To talk more on this subject, EPA’s seagrass expert Dr. Phil Colarusso will be highlighting how these community efforts with the harbor clean up impacted water quality and seagrass restorations in the area. It’s amazing how independent citizens and organizations came together to create positive change for our oceans and seagrass meadows.
Boston Harbor had been heavily polluted due to industrial development and population growth since the nineteenth century. By the mid-1970s, organizations within the Boston community started to fight for a cleaner Boston Harbor. In 1972 the Clean Water Act was passed. This leads the way for Boston Harbor Clean up action, a court-mandated action started in 1986. Thanks to all the communities joining forces, we now enjoy clean waters where seagrass has returned to Boston Harbor.
More on this study can be found:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2018.00478/full
Dr. Phil Colarusso
In the field of seagrass physiology and ecology, Phil Collarusso has dedicated over 34 years to monitoring seagrass and initiating multiple restoration endeavors. Presently, his research delves into carbon sequestration by eelgrass, the estimation of eelgrass abundance via satellite imagery, and the utilization of seeds for restoration purposes. Additionally, he also conducts impact assessments on marine ecosystems for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with a particular focus on marine fish populations and the repercussions of power plants and climate change.