Dead zones
‘Dead zones’ is a multidisciplinary art-research project consisting of various artworks and installations, a documentary, and a live performance.
Dead zones are oxygen deprived zones in the ocean. Man-made dead zones are areas in coastal waters where micro algae blooms are fed by fertilizers from agriculture and other waste streams. When these blooms decompose, all oxygen is used by bacteria, and nothing is left for higher life forms. In the Gulf of Mexico, the Mississippi feeds a seasonal dead zone of about 23.000 square kilometers, as big as half of the Netherlands.
In the last 50 years, because of human impact and use of fertilizers for agriculture, the nutrient concentration has increased enormously, resulting in dead zones in coastal areas around the world. It has been calculated that now we have about 500 coastal dead zones, while in the 1950's only about 50 existed.
This project is supported by the NATUURCULTUUR award of Fentener van Vlissingen Fonds, Stroom Den Haag, Mondriaan Fonds, Stichting Stokroos and Silbersee Waterwende.
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If you would like to stay up to date on the development of this project and upcoming exhibitions, send an email to suzette@bousema.eu