Black Seaing
Humans focus their attention on what seems useful to them. Everything else usually remains behind the scenes, and becomes an abstraction. While distant places and matters are explored thoroughly, there is a lack of understanding about those in closer proximity.
The "Black Seaing" project aims to see water in all its complexity and to discover what actually stands behind the generalized abstraction. Our project wants to show water, and the Black Sea in particular, as a living organism that requires wise and respectful attitude.
The "Black Seaing" project aims to see water in all its complexity and to discover what actually stands behind the generalized abstraction. Our project wants to show water, and the Black Sea in particular, as a living organism that requires wise and respectful attitude.
Water is a tasteless and transparent substance. It can be clean or polluted; it can contain life, but it is not life in itself. This is exactly how the general public has always perceived water. But is that true?
October 2020
think tank pilot expedition
think tank pilot expedition
Seaing — is a documentary project at the interface between marine science
and collective sensual experiment. It aims to highlight all things invisible and inexplicable to an outsider's eye. The main idea is to find a new way of speaking about the Black Sea and its palpitating life.
and collective sensual experiment. It aims to highlight all things invisible and inexplicable to an outsider's eye. The main idea is to find a new way of speaking about the Black Sea and its palpitating life.
an anthropological way of looking at things, aspiring to discover the deep-seated essence of the inanimate natures of the sea.
The core method of the project is
The project will be conducted through a series of sailing observational expeditions along the coast of the Black Sea.
The Black Seaing team will be composed of scientists, filmmakers, poets, free-divers, nature explorers, spiritual practitioners
— those willing to find nonviolent, collaborative, and sustainable ways of living.
The Black Sea is a huge body of water with a very particular chemical makeup, living organisms, bacterium, temperature, position towards the sun, and rotopositioning. The combination of all these elements shape the unique nature of the sea.
Black Seaing is an attempt to feel and learn alien subjectivity of inanimate nature and to find potential for empathy and solidarity with it.
Both the sea and its elements are transient. The rivers are continuously flowing in new waters; people at sea and on the shores are interfering with its life; the sun temperatures are gradually rising and the climate is changing. As a result, the sea is in a constant process of balancing its elements with these competing forces and external influences. This constant process in itself is the essence of the sea.
"In the end we will conserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand
and we will only understand what we are taught"
and we will only understand what we are taught"
The project will result in a series of video novels. Each video novel will be made in collaboration with different substances or characters of the Black Sea and shown by its best speaking media.
Baba Dioum, environmentalist:
Characters:
87% of the Black Sea's volume is anoxic making it the largest anoxic water basin in the world. Anoxic water is depleted of oxygen and instead contains hydrogen sulphide.The oxygen layer 'lies' on top of the anoxic and these layers do not intermix.
Only a few microorganisms can live in the anoxic water. One of them is a recently discovered group of microorganisms Lokiarchaeota. These are considered to be the missing link on a "tree of life" between procaryotes and eucaryotes.
This makes the Black Sea a unique laboratory showing what the Earth was like prior to the appearance of photosynthesising plants.
Only a few microorganisms can live in the anoxic water. One of them is a recently discovered group of microorganisms Lokiarchaeota. These are considered to be the missing link on a "tree of life" between procaryotes and eucaryotes.
This makes the Black Sea a unique laboratory showing what the Earth was like prior to the appearance of photosynthesising plants.
the Black Sea drainage basin comprises the territory of 17 European countries, which accounts to one-third of the continent. It collects the water through some of the major rivers in Europe, such as the Danube and the Dniester.
All the waste from humans and all the products of their activities in one way or another end up in the sea. Water flows through arable lands and brings in nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus; traces of pharmaceuticals found in urine get in the sea through the sewage systems; plastic garbage is blown from the river shores into the water.
The Black Sea is twice as polluted by marine litter than the Mediterranean Sea. The level of chemical pollution is higher in the Black Sea as well.
All the waste from humans and all the products of their activities in one way or another end up in the sea. Water flows through arable lands and brings in nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus; traces of pharmaceuticals found in urine get in the sea through the sewage systems; plastic garbage is blown from the river shores into the water.
The Black Sea is twice as polluted by marine litter than the Mediterranean Sea. The level of chemical pollution is higher in the Black Sea as well.
get to the Black Sea in two ways: the natural way, through the channels from the Mediterrean; and the human-made way, by ballast waters from all over the world. While the natural way affects the local ecosystem slowly, the human-made way sometimes triggers fast expanding distortion.
Back in the 1980s, a comb jellyfish Mnemiopsis leidyi (sea walnut) was accidentally introduced to the area. As a result, by 1989, it grew to as many as 400 jellyfish per cubic metre of water. It competed with native fish for food and also consumed their eggs and larvae, which contributed to the collapse of local fisheries. Population of sea walnuts sharply declined and the fisheries started to recover only after introduction of a biological pest control — another jellyfish species, Beroe ovate.
Back in the 1980s, a comb jellyfish Mnemiopsis leidyi (sea walnut) was accidentally introduced to the area. As a result, by 1989, it grew to as many as 400 jellyfish per cubic metre of water. It competed with native fish for food and also consumed their eggs and larvae, which contributed to the collapse of local fisheries. Population of sea walnuts sharply declined and the fisheries started to recover only after introduction of a biological pest control — another jellyfish species, Beroe ovate.
is a current of particularly saline water flowing through the Bosporus Strait and along the seabed of the Black Sea. The discovery of the river was the first of its kind in the world.
The flow originally comes from the Mediterranean. Since the Mediterranean water is saltier and denser than the one of the Black Sea, it remains separate.
This undersea river flows for around 60 km (37 miles) until it reaches the edge of the sea shelf and then it dissipates into the deep sea. It is estimated that the flow of the Black Sea undersea river is 350 times greater than the one of the Thames.
The flow originally comes from the Mediterranean. Since the Mediterranean water is saltier and denser than the one of the Black Sea, it remains separate.
This undersea river flows for around 60 km (37 miles) until it reaches the edge of the sea shelf and then it dissipates into the deep sea. It is estimated that the flow of the Black Sea undersea river is 350 times greater than the one of the Thames.
Navigation on the Black Sea dates back to the ancient Phoenicians. Some sources also argue that the Noah's Ark story in the Old Testament refers to the deluge of the Black Sea — possible rapid inflow of Mediterranean seawater into the Black Sea freshwater lake around 7 000 years ago.
The Black Sea has gained interest from marine archaeologists due to the discovery of ancient shipwrecks preserved in an excellent state. In most of the oceans, anthropogenic artifacts are rapidly consumed by oxygenated waters. But because of high levels of anoxic water, organic matter is preserved much better in the Black Sea.
The Black Sea has gained interest from marine archaeologists due to the discovery of ancient shipwrecks preserved in an excellent state. In most of the oceans, anthropogenic artifacts are rapidly consumed by oxygenated waters. But because of high levels of anoxic water, organic matter is preserved much better in the Black Sea.
The first sailing expedition is scheduled for October 3—10, 2020. Acquaintance with the Black Sea will start along the Crimean peninsula, one of the most stunning and historically controversial areas of the region.
The idea for the first Seaing is to build a framework for the conceptual brainstorming around the project.
The first sailing expedition will be a test of the hypotheses of the Seaing and of the methods that potentially might work for filming, exploring and discussing the inanimate natures of the Black Sea.
The first sailing expedition will be a test of the hypotheses of the Seaing and of the methods that potentially might work for filming, exploring and discussing the inanimate natures of the Black Sea.
To become water-connected
It is a curatorship project. We invite people with different backgrounds to join us in exploring the world to which we all belong and through which we are all connected.
If this project matches your values and / or professional interest please do not hesitate to contact us:
If this project matches your values and / or professional interest please do not hesitate to contact us:
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