regeneration of the Long Island Sound : studio visit with Pete Topping

On the East End of Long Island, New York, I meet with Pete Topping, Executive Director of Peconic Baykeeper, whose work spans oyster restoration and water quality monitoring. In this conversation we move into the near planktonic realm of marine life and talk about algae blooms, dinoflagellates, the strange luminous phenomena that sometimes appear in the bays of Long Island, and his work as Baykeeper. 

This conversation is part of the exhibition REGENERATION: Long Island’s History of Ecological Art and Care at the Parrish Art Museum. It connects to my broader inquiry into the hidden micro worlds of the ocean and their role in coastal ecosystems, which informs my current sculpture at the Parrish, Are We Psychic Coral-Polyps?, a gathering place for shared learning, collectivity, and ecosystem regeneration.