The project, entitled “TO’A Coral or how to understand climate change by observing coral reefs,” aims to make research accessible through art. It is jointly conducted by the Centre des Métiers d’Art de Polynésie française (CMA) and the Coral Reef Institute of the Pacific (IRCP). “The idea is to reach out to the widest possible audience to raise awareness of coral, reefs and the threats to it from global warming,” CMA Director Viri Taimana said.
For 2 years, scientific interventions took place on a regular basis, bringing a general culture on the coral reefs to the students of the CMA. This is to feed their imagination for the creation of works around this topical theme: coral in the face of climate change. Biomineralization, bioacoustics, photogrammetry, genetics are among the subjects discussed, inspiring the artists. More than 100 works have been created paintings, scruptures, engravings, digital objects… So many media offering a multiple look at our coral reefs.