Line | +1233m –1233m

The work of Robertina Šebjanič explores the sonority of the sea in a vertical strip deep below and above the surface. With its evocative title, the artist refers to one of the deepest points in the southern Adriatic, conveying a message of empathy and solidarity in coexistence with more-than-human beings and ecosystems. The poetic audiovisual work invites an immersive exhibition experience and encourages reflection on humanity’s impact on oceans.

Line | +1233m –1233m is a poetic audiovisual work that examines the sonority of the sea across vertical layers to inspire reflection on new ecological realities of the Anthropocene. Vertical migration between ocean layers represents one of the largest daily and seasonal migration routes in the marine world, undertaken by millions of animals across all oceans and seas. In this project, the artist symbolically addresses such movement by referencing one of the deepest points in the southern Adriatic (–1233m).

At the core of this intermedia work lies the concept of empathy and solidarity in coexistence with more-than-human entities. As a counterpoint, the artist highlights the importance of awareness of the shared environment and encourages critical reflection on its ecological vulnerability.

The work is based on datasets of temperature, salinity and water hardness in the southern Adriatic over the past 30 years, as well as measurements conducted by the artist between 2021 and 2022. These were analysed in collaboration with the Institute for Marine and Coastal Research at the University of Dubrovnik and artificial intelligence expert Tanja Minarik. Through sonification of biogeochemical datasets and the use of original sound recordings made above and below the water surface, the artist reveals previously unexplored sonorous environments of marine depths, placing them in dialogue with the airiness of the landscape above.