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On June 1st, as part of the Barcelona Science Festival, a preview of the work in progress of the composition Mare Nostrum? Sumus Mare was presented. The showcase included a 15-minute performance of the piece (featuring performers Inés Moraleda, the Vivancos Quartet, and Maria Camahort) and a conversation about the creative process, led by Ifigeneia G. Leontsini. The Science Festival is a major collective celebration of knowledge, research, and innovation that fills Barcelona with curiosity, discoveries, and unforgettable experiences.
Mare Nostrum? Sumus Mare is a music composition for singer, string quartet, and guitar—a sonic portrait of the Mediterranean Sea. The piece explores our human relationship with the sea, the movements of nature, and the voices of the living beings that inhabit it, while addressing social, environmental, and gender issues. Composed by Maria Camahort with the support of the Blue Genes Community, the project aims to raise awareness of the importance and vulnerability of marine ecosystems through the combined power of music and reflective texts.
As part of the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean & Waters by 2030”, the Blue Genes community developed a pilot project exploring the link between Ocean & Arts.
Blue Genes created a giant collaborative puzzle mixing visual arts, poetry, music, and oceanographic outreach. Inspired by "stained-glass windows", the artwork depicts the richness and fragility of marine biodiversity through the metaphor of a shattered sacred ecosystem.
The activity begins as an “ecological crime scene”, introduced through music and poetry, before marine scientists from the Blue Genes community guide participants through questions about their relationship with the ocean.
This dialogue helps surface concerns, ideas, and co-imagined solutions.
After each round, participants place pieces to gradually rebuild the 44-piece mural.
The project premiered at the Fes!Cultura #accioclima 2024 festival in Barcelona, at the Fabra i Coats art center.
See more about this project here
Blue Genes proudly announces the successful conclusion of the co-created satellite event
"Enbluement: connecting science and arts to expand our belonging to the Ocean", held as part of the UN Ocean Decade Conference in April 2024.
The event gathered over 150 participants in Barcelona and featured inspiring workshops and participatory celebrations, including a dynamic percussion band, an engaging shoal of fish dance, and a youth choir. Artworks such as "Inverted Earth" and "Letter to the Ocean," created by the Community, were also showcased. Supported by over 30 dedicated volunteers, Enbluement offered an immersive and interactive experience that deepened our collective connection to the Ocean.
By blending science, art, and community involvement, the event expanded traditional scientific exploration into sensory and artistic realms, highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration!
🎥Click here to watch Enbluement in action!
Publication from TransOcean, EuroMarine network can be found here.
Photo credits: Laura Ponce
The second in-person #BlueGenesCommunity workshop gathered
around 30 individuals, including artists, scientists, and
activists, at a three-day co-creative retreat at Club Nàutic
Cala Canyelles, Spain.
The objective was to advance the dialogue
from the previous workshop and develop a community project focused on finding new narratives and promote actions that
increase the connection and commitment to the marine environment
through Arts and Sciences. Additionally, the community developed
the content of the upcoming satellite event entitled
"Enbluement: Connecting science and arts to expand our belonging
to the ocean" scheduled for April 9th in Barcelona as part of
the UN Ocean Decade Conference.
Expected outcomes of this workshop involve the creation of a
report to be published at CSIC's repository, strategic planning
for the UN satellite event, and future activity plans.
We would like to extend our gratitude to Club Nàutic Cala Canyelles for providing a venue for our workshop and creating
a motivating setting for our collaborative efforts.
Photo credits: Elisabetta Broglio
📖The report can be found here.
On December 19th, 2023, the first in-person meeting of the Blue Genes initiative took place at the Institut de Ciències del Mar in Barcelona. The gathering united over 20 members of the Blue Genes Community with a focus on strengthening local ties and refining current objectives, highlighting the potential at the intersection of art and science. Discussions centered around creating space for reflection and breaking away from old narratives to establish new ones. Key questions were raised about personal and Blue Genes' goals, emphasizing clear and responsible communication. The concept of Blue Genes serving as a platform for sharing concerns and community responses was highlighted. Conversations also delved into topics like eco-anxiety and exploring the intersection of science and art in addressing environmental issues. Emphasizing the importance of having diverse experiences to drive change while being transdisciplinary was underscored. Participants acknowledged the value of staying engaged with this Community of Practice through regular meetings to foster deeper connections among members, forming subgroups based on shared interests to prototype objectives together.
The meeting wrapped up by arranging a three-day retreat to extend the dialogue.
📖The report can be found here.
Highlights from the 2nd Blue Genes online meeting (June 22, 2023): 30+ community members discussed Ocean and Waters initiatives, proposed a Satellite Event during the 2024 UN Ocean Decade Conference in Barcelona. This in-person meeting aimed to define priorities and strategies for the future of the Blue Genes community, engaging a broader audience in exploring new ways to connect with nature, with a focus on the ocean.
Authors: All participants in alphabetical order
On October 27th, 2022 a group of scientists, activists and artists participated in a workshop. The participants were divided into 6 groups to discuss a number of questions that were already prepared by the organisers. To facilitate the discussion and ensure an active participation, attendants were introduced to the Miro tool and they were requested to add their answers and ideas in post-it notes. The leader of each group was then invited to share the main conclusions of their group in the plenary session. Those conclusions were used afterwards to summarise the main goals and prioritise areas of action.
Authors: All participants in alphabetical order
