The Ocean Within
Visualising Natural Heritage of Northern Ireland: Commissioned by Belfast Photo Festival and The National Lottery Heritage Fund
The Ocean Within explores the hidden roles of fish as biological timekeepers and storytellers, embodying a collective memory of the water world.
Otoliths, or ear stones, and salmon scales serve as living records of their lives, much like tree rings. Each layer encodes the fish's journey, revealing the duration of their existence and the experiences that have shaped them. These remarkable structures hold a biochronology—a map of life experiences embedded and made visible within their physical forms. Their bodies carry a shared memory, telling a collective story.
Fish possess an incredible ability to create and follow maps, guided by instinctual knowledge, not on paper but within their very beings. They navigate through the world using magnetic fields and respond to unseen frequencies, forging a profound connection between their biology and the forces of the planet. This living archive is not simply a static record; it continuously evolves, inviting us to participate in an ongoing narrative of life and survival.
This work delves into the rich and diverse dimensions of fish senses, bringing to light what often remains hidden: lived experience and how nature captures truths beyond human perception. Fish are not just creatures of the water; they are living beings deserving of our understanding in a world without human contours.
