Final Work Outcome

For my creative work I wanted to incorporate my skills and passion, whilst still addressing the subject. Fashion is where my design mind really thrives, and so I chose to base my work around an item of clothing. A bra was an ideal garment to make because the round form relates back to my project and the structure means it was easy to work with. I used sew-in to create a coral reef replica onto the bra front. My initial thoughts on this was to paint or dye the fabric with vibrant colours to represent a lively reef, but I reconsidered this and took a different approach because that wouldn't be showing the global problem. I decided to leave the sew-in white because that is the colour the coral tissue turns once the algae leaves it. I wanted to draw attention to the blandness of it and make people imagine just how beautiful it would be if the coral was an array of colours. The point of this was to reference what is happening in the water now, and how many young people have seen white reefs, whereas generations before them saw the same coral in an abundance of colour. I also used various techniques of cutting and folding to create a range of shapes and coral forms, then used hot glue to attach them together and keep them in place on the bra. I enjoyed this project so much, and for me it was a challenge to balance my design eye with the projects intention. I am really happy with the final garment and believe it portrays the loss of biodiversity, whilst still being a captivatingly intricate piece of art. If I was to do this project again I would extend the 'coral' further over the torso and up the shoulder so that it gives the impression of growth, but my reasoning for not doing this was a lack of time so I am very happy with my outcome all the same.

Front View

Right Side View

Right Side Close Up

Left Side Close Up

Left Side View

Activists And What We Can Do

Many people around the globe are not happy about the conditions of our world’s coral reefs. American Artist John Quigley and non-profit organisation Greenpeace activists have recently banded together to create a piece of art (pictured below) on the Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The protest was demanding that a newly discovered reef off the beach be protected and not damaged. It was part of an international movement to stop oil drilling into the Amazonian ecosystems. There have been thousands turn up to marches that have been organised (majorly by Greenpeace) in this area to protest the same issue.

Greenpeace have also played a huge contribution to protests fighting against coal mining into the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. If the coal industry gets what it is asking for, millions of tonnes of the ocean floor will be dredged and this natural wonder will be destroyed. Greenpeace have been using the media to expand the knowledge of this issue and prevent the loss of even more coral when we are already at a crisis.

So what can you do? Organisations such as Greenpeace and Reef Relief have missions that they set for volunteers who want to make a difference. You can use these sites to donate, sign online petitions or physically get involved amongst the problem and work towards preventing it further. This is a very personal issue to me as my favourite childhood moment is snorkelling at one of Australia’s reefs, so I encourage everyone to at least look into this problem further and do what you can to help. Although all of this makes a positive impact, it does not stop the issue at the core. Stop using excessive resources that turn into waste and end up in our oceans, diluting into our water. Stop giving your money to industries that give off masses of greenhouse gases which result in the rise of ocean temperature. Society needs to wake up and realise the effects that our consumption is having on the environment, and not just with coral reefs.

Getty Images. 30 March 2017, http://www.gettyimages.co.nz/detail/news-photo/greenpeace-activists-and-us-artist-john-quigley-organize-a-news-photo/660283984#greenpeace-activists-and-us-artist-john-quigley-organize-a-largescale-picture-id660283984

Greenpeace. http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/en/what-we-do/climate/Save-the-Reef/

 Greenpeace. "Save The Reef". Greenpeace, http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/en/what-we-do/climate/Save-the-Reef/

Reef Relief. "Volunteer". Reef Relief, https://www.reefrelief.org/act/volunteer/

Telesur. “Copacabana Beach Forms Human Mosaics to Protect Amazon Reef”. Telesur, 30 March 2017, http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Copacabana-Beach-Forms-Human-Mosaics-to-Protect-Amazon-Reef-20170330-0007.html

Scientist's Work

During my research I have come across a technique widely known as ‘coral farming’ which is used to reinstall coral to damaged reefs. Scientist Dr David Vaughan is a programme manager for coral restoration at Mote and has been working for years on bringing life back to the Florida Keys where reefs have been threatened by rising temperatures and water quality. Vaughan takes small pieces of varies species of coral and farms them in pools that are set to ideal water conditions for coral to thrive. He grows them with the help of his team who monitor and determine what the water conditions will be like 100 years from now and they replant the species that show promise.

Another scientist working to save local reefs is the Founder and President of Coral Restoration Foundation, Ken Nedimyer. The difference between Vaughan and Nedimyer is that Nedimyer has noticed a huge loss in a specific species called staghorn coral. Unlike Vaughan’s work, these corals are farmed in the ocean so the conditions of their surroundings are not as heavily monitored, but they thrive never the less. Nedimyer then takes pieces of the grown coral and used a putty to secure them to the rock where coral is bare.

Now although coral farming does not address the threats to coral, it does provide a proven method for restoring reefs that are already damaged. Many non-profit organisations such as Mote and Coral Restoration Foundation are working to try and fix as best they can what we have caused. I think we all need to ask ourselves, how much longer are we willing to watch and not change?

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Coral Vita, http://www.coralvita.co/coral-farming/

Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium. https://mote.org/research/program/coral-reef-restoration

Coral Restoration Foundation. "Meet Our Team". Coral Restoration Foundation, http://coralrestoration.org/about/meet-the-team/

Jonathan Bird's Blue World. "Florida Coral Farming | JONATHAN BIRD'S BLUE WORLD". Youtube, 5 June 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md_l6vK13cQ

Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium. "Coral Reef Restoration." Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, https://mote.org/research/program/coral-reef-restoration

What is Coral Bleaching?

I have done a lot more research on why coral is endangered and the process behind it was an interesting discovery. Coral is so rich in colour because algae inhabits the coral tissue, therefore they have a symbiotic relationship. Algae is the corals food source and would die with out it. ‘Coral bleaching’ happens when the relationship between the two becomes stressed due to water temperature rise or pollution, and the algae leaves the coral tissue. This causes the coral to turn white, therefore not supplying a food source for the fish.

The root of this issue lies with pollution and climate change. Humans use Earth’s resources poorly which result in a rise of greenhouse gasses, and temperature. The rise in air heat means the ocean warms as well and makes for unideal conditions for which algae can live. Runoff from drains that dilute our waste into the ocean can effect near-shore corals, as well as extreme low tides and over-exposure to sunlight.

Coral bleaching is a global issue that again, humans are at the core of. By cutting back on waste and minimising how much pollution goes into our waters means we might be able to save some of our world’s reefs. Coral provides us with 30% of our oxygen we breathe. Without it, it won’t only be the fish that suffer.

NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Programme, Mar 2016, http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_bleach.html

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. "What is Coral Bleaching?". National Ocean Service, National Ocean Service NOAA Department of Commerce, 17 March 2016, http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral_bleach.html

Seaworld Parks & Entertainment. "Longevity & Causes of Death". Seaworld Parks & Entertainment, 2017, https://seaworld.org/en/animal-info/animal-infobooks/coral-and-coral-reefs/longevity-and-causes-of-death