Julian Charrière brings the ocean’s abyss to MOCA in new solo exhibition

The exhibition presents a decade of Charrière’s work, ranging from photography and sculpture to immersive installations that probe the relationship between human history and geological time. By incorporating materials such as bitumen and coral, the artist forces a confrontation between the rapid pace of anthropogenic change and the slow, foundational processes of the natural world. Central to the show is the new commission Hope Line, which features a live feed from a coral reef in Jamaica damaged by the 2023 El Niño bleaching event. This installation allows visitors to not only observe the reef but to project their own voices into the underwater environment, bridging the physical gap between the gallery and a vulnerable ecosystem. Alongside this, the US premiere of Midnight Zone takes viewers into the depths of the Pacific Ocean, directly above the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture, a site currently targeted for deep-sea mining. Through these works, Charrière aims to foster a visceral connection to remote ecosystems, challenging audiences to reconsider their own role within the planet's biogeological systems. The exhibition is organized by assistant curator Paula Kroll, who emphasizes the collaborative effort involving marine scientists and researchers to turn artistic practice into a tool for environmental stewardship.