S.E.A. Aquarium at Resorts World Sentosa unveiled four light-art installations during a media preview of Glowing Ocean. Putting the spotlight on the science behind the signs and signals emitted by the ocean’s hues, the event aims to educate guests on how these colours serve as tell-tale signs on the adverse effects of climate change on marine life. The Glowing Ocean installations will run from 30 November 2019 to 1 January 2020, and is included with admission to S.E.A. Aquarium.
This year’s edition of Glowing Ocean, a special showcase at S.E.A. Aquarium for the festive season, marks a collaboration with several artists who will convey the impacts of climate change through their signature art styles and interactive installations. Through the installations, these artists hope to highlight how the public can make a positive difference to marine life.
An in-house concept by the RWS creative team, When Corals Fade depicts how rising temperatures trigger an ominous chain reaction which causes multi-hued corals to bleach and eventually dies. Built with 25kg worth of plastic waste, the installation espouses the importance of healthy corals for ecosystems to thrive and how an adverse shift will affect the ecological balance of coral reef communities and marine life, and ultimately the local coastal communities whose livelihoods depend on the reefs for food, materials and medicine.
Local crocheting artist, Kelly Limerick describes her inspiration behind her creation, Kelp Me!, a life-sized kelp forest crocheted by her and 20 volunteers using 50kg of upcycled plastic waste. Often referred to as the “trees of the marine world”, kelp provides shelter and food to marine animals.
Red, blue or green? This collaborative effort between Milan-based Carnovsky and Singapore’s Kult Studio & Gallery titled Beautiful Warning Signals, depicts the harm plankton growth and algae bloom can pose in the ocean. Unbeknownst to many, these natural occurrences may be pretty on the eyes, but in reality produce toxic concentrations of ammonia and deplete oxygen levels in the marine world.
From 1 December 2019, you can also catch a series of refreshed talks and feeding sessions by aquarists, as well as meet-and-greet sessions with mascots. One of the latest sessions is Meet the Mantas, a manta enrichment presentation held at 11am daily where aquarists dive into the Open Ocean Habitat to feed three of the aquarium’s largest and most iconic species – the reef manta rays.
The one-of-its-kind enrichment session demonstrates the close bonds between the aquarists and manta rays, where the former will syringe-feed the gentle giants up-close underwater. Other experiences you can look forward to include educational talks such as Sensational Sharks, Dolphin Chit Chat, and feeding sessions at popular habitats such as Coral Garden and Shipwreck Habitat.
Singapore residents and families enjoy an online promotion of S$78 (U.P. S$98) for a Glowing Ocean Family Bundle, which includes two adult and one child one-day tickets from 11 November 2019 to 1 January 2020. For more information on Glowing Ocean, visit www.rwsentosa.com/glowingocean.
