As Above, So Below Brings Oceanic Intelligence to Venice Biennale

Key Takeaways

• Exhibition merges art, science, AI to explore ocean as living archive
• Seven international artists create immersive installations on marine intelligence and climate
• Venue is former Venetian church, transformed into high-tech sensory space
• Projects highlight bioacoustic research, bioluminescence, fungal networks, and tree signals
• Collateral event at 61st Venice Biennale amplifies oceanic urgency worldwide

Pulse Analysis

The intersection of contemporary art and environmental science has become a powerful conduit for translating abstract climate data into visceral experiences. "As Above, So Below," presented during the 61st Venice Biennale, leverages the festival’s global platform to spotlight the ocean’s role as both archive and early‑warning system. By situating the exhibition in the historic Church of Santi Cosma e Damiano on Giudecca, organizers fuse heritage architecture with cutting‑edge media, creating a physical metaphor for the layered histories of human impact on marine ecosystems. This setting underscores the urgency of re‑examining our relationship with the sea.

The roster of seven artists and collectives brings together a diverse toolkit of immersive technologies. Marshmallow Laser Feast transforms whale vocalisations into a three‑dimensional soundscape, while Yoko Shimizu’s bioluminescent installation visualises plankton responses to changing water chemistry. Antoine Bertin’s "Fish String Theory" captures acoustic signatures of the Mediterranean stonefish, and Orkhan Mammadov employs artificial intelligence to map fungal mycelium networks, revealing hidden below‑ground communication. Each work is rooted in scientific residencies—often conducted aboard research vessels—ensuring that the aesthetic experience is anchored in rigorous data and peer‑reviewed methodology.

Beyond its artistic ambition, the exhibition functions as a catalyst for policy dialogue and public education. By rendering oceanic signals audible and visible, it lowers the barrier for non‑specialists to grasp the scale of biodiversity loss and carbon uptake disruptions. The Biennale’s international audience, ranging from curators to diplomats, encounters these insights in a context that encourages interdisciplinary collaboration. As cultural institutions increasingly adopt data‑driven narratives, "As Above, So Below" sets a precedent for future projects that seek to mobilise collective action through immersive, evidence‑based storytelling.