ADA is an interactive art-making machine, although she does not operate in the way we would normally imagine. A post-industrial “creature” that glows with the bioluminescence of denizens of the deep, ADA floats freely and is the sole light source in her confined space. While ADA requires animation from visitors, it quickly becomes clear that we hold little sway over her. A giant sphere with charcoal studs affixed to her surface, she moves through the room, making indelible marks along the walls, ceiling and floor of the gallery. These marks are only apparent when ADA moves near them, shedding light on and highlighting the consequences of visitor interaction and similarly, our relationship with the sea.

The Mogus, an imaginary octopus monster, is artist Mulyana’s alter ego. Laboriously crocheted from yarn, Dimana Mogus? invites the young and young-at-heart to frolic amidst whimsical sea monsters set in a colourful dream seascape. Through this installation, Mulyana hopes to create an environment in which visitors can interact with Mogus and his underwater friends; his soft, tactile sculptures encourage play, imagination and exploration.

Garbage… garbage galore! What happens when we heedlessly throw away that much garbage? 269,000 tons of plastic debris floats on the surface of our world’s oceans, creating hazardous living environments for marine life. In Plastic Ocean, artist Tan Zi Xi tackles the issue of pollution head-on with her recreation of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Comprising approximately 26,000 pieces of non-biodegradables, her installation invites viewers to experience the sensation of floating in a sea of trash. At the same time, the artwork embodies the wonders of recycling and repurposing, and the transformative power of art.