Since time immemorial, we humans have been fascinated by conquering and utilizing the sea; yet we forget about the lifeforms in it. Who lives under the reflective yet ever-moving surface? Who are we killing if Dartmouth Cove is filled? Please, look closer into Dartmouth Cove: so that we are aware who we are losing if the Dartmouth Cove Waterfront Infill Project actually happened, dumping 99700 cubic metres of excavation materials into the harbour.
What bird was that song from? What flower gave that scent? What tree shed that leaf right in front of your eyes? Who pooped on your windowsill? What fruit dropped on your car roof? We live by nature even in the urban centre, yet we seem to be blind to it.
Look Closer into Dartmouth Cove is an embroidered quilt picturing the waterbody of Dartmouth Cove and the marine life living in it. It uses fluorescent white thread on non-bleached white fabric, to simulate the difficulties for public to feel the biodiversity in Dartmouth Cove. With UV flashlights, participants can see the "glowing" marine life and their names clearly. My idea of using florescent thread comes from the florescent nature of some marine animals. The marine life depicted are based on actual lifeforms living in
To me, nothing says more about city than the tight-woven human-human and land-human relationship. The bioblitz for Dartmouth Cove embodies all of it: people care about (land and) water we live around, curious people explore the water and bring back knowledge, and the knowledge supports the protection of water. I think the curiosity and caring are what made us human, and this dense humanity power against capitalist greed is the core of a resilient city. I would love to use this opportunity to raise the awareness to Dartmouth Cove and all land conservation effort happening in Mi’kma’ki and beyond.
This project is part of the STEPS Public Art Residency Program and is supported by TD Bank Group through the TD Ready Commitment.
