Ghost Nets of the Ocean – Au Karem ira Lamar Lu - a spectacular marine-themed exhibition created by the Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists from Erub Arts on Darnley Island, Torres Strait, Australia, celebrates the island, reef, and ocean as a cultural and experiential continuum. Artists from Erub Arts have drawn powerful inspiration both from the ocean and stories of Indigenous island life, and have put the debris to use in a positive way, transforming retrieved fishing nets, or ghost nets, into spectacular artistic sculptures of previous marine life that also provoke important reflections on how we humans are affecting the world’s oceans. Over 80 colourful woven sculptures of fish, turtles, squids, jellyfish and corals hang suspended and dramatically lit throughout the Gallery, show the people’s connections to the sea, and strives to generate awareness of ocean pollution, recycling, and conservation of the marine environment.

The Ghost Net Art Project first began in 2008 as an initiative of GhostNets Australia, an organisation founded to coordinate the removal of ghost nets from remote beaches along the coastline by indigenous community land and sea rangers. Local artists appropriated the nets and incorporated them into their artistic creations, first producing bags and baskets, before using them to create larger-scale artworks with personal cultural stories – marine creatures are key symbols and totemic animals for Torres Strait islanders. The artworks on display in are being showcased in a Singaporean public arts institution for the first time, created by Lynnette Griffiths, Marion Gaemers, and 18 Erub Arts artists over the past year.

Ghost Nets of the Ocean is complemented by Tiny Turtles project, artworks resulting from a collaboration between Torres Strait schools, and local, international, and children with special needs in Singapore. Over 700 minature woven turtles will be displayed on the lawn of the Asian Civilisations Museum, as part of the museum’s Children Season 2017 programmes. Also on offer during the school holidays are a smorgasbord of craft workshops, storytelling and talks, drama and musical performances, and gallery trails.

Australian High Commissioner, Mr Bruce Gosper, added, “This arts and cultural exchange echoes Australia and Singapore’s commitment to strengthening the connection between peoples in our countries, and in a more profound way, I believe it will also allow visitors and a younger generation to better understand the world in which we live. As maritime nations, there is a shared responsibility for the oceans that falls on our communities, and I hope the remarkable art of Au Karem ira Lamar Lu inspires and sparks important conversations in this region on pollution, recycling and marine conservation.”

Ghost Nets of the Ocean will be held at the Asian Civilisations Museum from 1 June to 6 August 2017, and admission is free.