My trip started in Turku, where I took a two-hour ferry to Seili Island. This provided a smooth start to the upcoming Godzilla trip and the adventures ahead. On the ferry, I also met Rachael Allain, a co-artist from the UK who was also taking part in the Godzilla project.

At Seili, we participated in Herring Day, co-organized by the Archipelago Research Institute and CAA Contemporary Art Archipelago. During the event, we learned about the extensive research on herrings that dates back to the early 1980s. We learned that herring and the entire ecosystem of the Baltic Sea are highly dependent on the salinity of the seawater. In short, when there is less salt, herrings grow smaller, which affects the entire ecosystem—from birds to sea mammals, and ultimately to us humans. It is predicted that, due to climate change, the Baltic Sea will gradually become warmer and less saline than before.

We also met with other Godzilla artists: Sergio Castrillón, Siún Carden, Minna Henriksson, and Ragnar Elnyg. We had the pleasure of enjoying the magnificent performances of Sergio Castrillón and Ragnar Elnyg. The evening at Seili concluded with a magical touch when CAA curator Taru Elfving took us to visit the old 17th-century church of Seili and to watch the beautiful sunset from the highest point of the island.

After Seili, we headed straight to Hanko Harbour to seek shelter from the approaching storm and heavy winds. While Godzilla was tightly moored in the harbour, we spent three days at the nearby Tvärminne Research Station. Tvärminne is a zoological research station maintained and operated by the University of Helsinki. In the research station it was time to roll our sleeves and get to work. At Tvärminne and in the close by island I managed to film and record underwater videos and sounds. I was specifically interested in underwater noise pollution originating from boats and ships. The close proximity of Syndalen military base and passing patrol boats provided more than I had expected.

My own research is divided into two areas. The first focuses on material studies, where I explore seaweed-based bioplastics with the intention of using them as building materials for my work. This approach is rooted in a “leave-no-trace” mentality, aiming to create art with minimal ecological impact. I am also committed to the idea that the materials I use are “edible”, meaning that everything is both non-toxic and compostable. The second part of my research centers on creating art, involving a conceptual approach to listening and interpreting the memory embedded in the material. 

I learned that the wellbeing of herrings is closely tied to the health of seaweeds. As the Baltic Sea gets warmer and its salinity decreases, the growth of seaweeds is also affected. Another crucial element in this puzzle is the sustainable harvesting of seaweeds. The seaweed I’m currently focusing on in my research is a red seaweed (Furcellaria lumbricalis), which is also found in Finnish waters. In Danish waters, commercial overuse and extensive harvesting in the mid-20th century almost wiped out the entire species. In recent years, more sustainable harvesting methods and regulations have been implemented to prevent further overexploitation. This serves as a reminder that we shouldn’t repeat the same mistakes with underwater forests that we’ve made with our terrestrial forests.

Countless discussions with Tvärminne researchers, often while sitting in the sauna (of course), sparked many new ideas and provided valuable information about the various organisms and the current state of the Baltic Sea. I feel that by exchanging ideas and discussing them, we reached a mutual understanding that we are all working towards the same goal: to better understand the sea and make the Baltic Sea livable for future generations.