Art · Marine Science · Wonder
Beneath the waves of the North East coastline — beneath the surface that communities gather at Newbiggin, Cullercoats, Tynemouth, Amble, Roker and Berwick to watch — lies a hidden world of forests and silent cities, microscopic life of immense importance, bioluminescence, movement, migration and intricate relationships and cycles that connect everything. It is a world that is vibrant, complex and very much alive — yet almost entirely unseen.
Ultramarine Dream is a new artistic practice exploring this hidden marine world through moving image, sound, animation and marine science, rooted in the extraordinary coastline of the North East.
Born from Nicola Zena's longstanding fascination with the natural world — and from a deeply personal encounter with marine conservation — the project asks what might happen when we approach the sea through beauty, wonder and connection. Can art help us see what is hidden? Can experiencing the extraordinary life beneath our own coastline inspire a deeper sense of curiosity, love and care for the natural world?
This is the practice Nicola Zena is now building — at the water's edge, in the place itself, alongside the scientists who study it and the communities who already love it.
Bringing the unseen to life. 🌊
Below are selected clips from earlier works celebrating the natural world, and the creative journey that has led to Ultramarine Dream.
ULTRAMARINE DREAM VISION BELOW
