Seagrass (2024)
Between January and May 2024 I have made 7 drawings depicting seagrass just under the waterline. I was inspired by what I have learnt from a friend about his efforts in seagrass restoration. In the Netherlands, where I live, seagrass used to grow in abundance. In the Wadden Sea (UNESCO heritage site) a large area up to 15.000 hectares was covered in seagrass, up until the 1932. Due to a disease and the completion of the Afsluitdijk dam/causeway, almost all seagrass in the area got wiped out and it has not recovered since. World wide seagrass is in decline. Seagrass ecosystems are essential for an healthy planet as it promotes biodiversity, provides coastal protection and it is 30 times more efficient in sequestering carbon compared to a similar area of rainforest. The story of the importance and disappearance of seagrass is relatively unknown. Generally, anything that is out of sight, is out of mind. I have drawn Seagrass as places I long for and imprinted it in my memory like a photographic negative. By using charcoal and bister ink the drawings require careful treatment in terms of handling and exposure to light, similar to seagrass. The Seagrass drawings were nominated for De Beeldmakers prize in 2024.
Sources:
- https://www.deltaexpertise.nl/wiki/index.php/Zeegras_Groei_en_ontwikkeling_zeegras_in_de_Waddenzee_VN
- https://oceanconservationtrust.org/ocean-habitats/why-seagrass/
- https://searangers.org/case-studies/seagrass/
- https://www.projectseagrass.org
- https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/06/25/de-moeizame-comeback-van-het-zeegras-een-plant-die-ooit-een-hoofdrol-speelde-langs-de-nederlandse-kust-a4898269