ARm #2 “The Red Tide”, workshop by Izabela Żółcińska and Simon Hasselø Kline

The phenomenon of red tide has been observed since ancient times. It currently has a stigma status. Harmful algal blooms are caused by certain species containing pigments that vary in colour from green and brown to red. Sometimes, there is no colour indication. Of the 5000+ species of marine phytoplankton that exist worldwide, about 2% are known to be harmful or toxic. Additionally, red tides are not associated with the tidal movement of water. This is a starting point for the workshop´s narration between artist Izabela Żółcińska and marine biologist Simon Hasselø Kline. What kind of microworld rises with the tide and is the source of our oxygen-based ecosystem? The workshop will contain a collection of water samples from the Ormsund area, microscope examinations and video projection.

...the salty fluid that courses through our veins is a reminder of our aqueous origins. – David Suzuki.

Izabela Żółcińska is a Polish-born visual artist living in Holmestrand, Norway. In her practice she seeks to understand human physicality as a liquid structure that is connected to the wider ecosystem. She is inspired by an aesthetic and function of biological transportation network systems, and often works with the phenomena of fluid migration. Informed by research and cross-disciplinary collaborations, she explores anatomy, architecture, cognitive science, fluid mechanics and hydrobiology. The Capillary System cycle (inspired by the human blood circulation system) is her long term explored visual language expressed in different media and realizations.

Simon Hasselø Kline is a marine biologist currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Oslo, focusing on the lower trophic levels in the Oslofjord and Skagerrak, which means everything that is not visible to the naked eye, and includes the unknown creatures that crawl, hop, swim, and float in the fjord. Simon has a deep love for everything living in and hiding beneath the sea. In recent years, he has become a strong advocate for plankton and their importance. Simon proudly identifies as a "plankton patriot" and can talk for hours about how beautiful and vital this somewhat overlooked part of the ecosystem is.