The Curious World of Seaweed at Beaty Museum
November 18, 2021 | 12:00 am – April 24, 2022 | 11:59 am
The thin region where the sea meets the land is unlike either land or sea. It is betwixt and between, a threshold from one state to another. It is a linear point or a coastal ribbon, a place of dramatic change and remarkable abundance—abundance of life and also of possibility. The regions where continents meet the great oceans of our planet are long stretches of liminal space.
“The Curious World of Seaweed”—an exhibition at the University of British Columbia’s Beaty Museum—features work from Heyday author Josie Iselin and her book of the same title, The Curious World of Seaweed, that explores both the artistic and the biological presence of sixteen seaweeds and kelps that live in the thin region where the Pacific Ocean converges with the North American continent.
Join artist Josie Iselin on December 7 for a virtual walk-through. Vancouverites can also catch the author in a panel discussion on February 17th.
Writing in Nature, Barbara Kiser described Iselin’s book as “a mesmerizing swim through a liminal world.”
Explore the exhibit online.
Dive InAbout the Speaker
Josie Iselin
Josie Iselin is author of eight books that focus on those forms in nature we find at hand—in particular, at the beach. She holds a BA in Visual and Environmental Studies from Harvard and an MFA from San Francisco State University. For over twenty years Josie has used her flatbed scanner and computer to generate imagery. She is still captivated by the fluidity with which this technique allows her to render and design with three-dimensional objects. Her writing and art focused on seaweeds, kelp, and sea otter put her on the forefront of ocean activism, collaborating with scientists and groups working to preserve the kelp forests of our Pacific Coast. As a fine artist, Josie exhibits large-scale prints at select galleries and museums, and she has designed a line of luxury scarves and shower curtains. She hopes that celebrating the ordinary wonders we find at the beach will bring thoughtfulness and stewardship to this extraordinary place of discovery. Visit her website at josieiselin.com.
