since the beginning of written history, mankind has been captivated by the sea. some find it mysterious, beautiful, and calming, while others have described it as dark, powerful, and dangerous. from artwork dating back 40,000 years ago to the Phoenicians to Norse mythology, humanity’s interactions with the ocean can be seen in literature, poetry, music, art, religion, theater, and more. these ideas can be reflected in poems such as Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner (1798), which describes the sea as a “realm of unspoiled nature and a refuge from the perceived threats of civilization.”
in the early 19th century, Lord Bryon wrote about the sea in Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage:
There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society where none intrudes,
By the deep Sea and music in its roar.
pieces of art throughout different periods of history and different cultures displayed below:
the sea has inspired countless imaginations, invoking hope, fear, and peace. it has been such an integral aspect of the human experience for thousands of years, with its beauty and mystery so vast, that we must protect it at all costs from the climate crisis we are facing today. the ocean and its inhabitants have thrived for billions of years; let us not destroy it within centuries.
please click on the button below to view more pieces of art that have inspired our love for the ocean. aside from the poetry, the animations, drawings and photographs were produced by us (indicated in credits)!
an ocean in crisis 