Artists supported by ADAPT and Beta Festival under the European Commission’s S+T+ARTS4WATER II – Ports in Transformation programme have showcased their works at the prestigious UN Ocean Conference & Biennale des Arts et de l’Océan 2025. Talented artists Siobhán McDonald and Lauren Moffatt featured at “POROUS,” a compelling symposium and live programme curated by María Montero Sierra and presented at Villa Arson, Nice from 9-13 June 2025.
The POROUS exhibition, organised by TBA21–Academy and Villa Arson with the support of S+T+ARTS4Water II, explored the critical question: “Can ports —once gateways of exchange— be reimagined as porous spaces of interspecies cohabitation?” This timely inquiry brought together artists, scientists, technologists and citizens to collectively engage with urgent ecological and social transformations impacting European coastlines.
The exhibition featured a curated installation of contemporary artworks alongside keynote talks, roundtables, sound performances, film screenings and hands-on workshops. At its core, “POROUS” highlighted site-sensitive, artist-led inquiries into the role of ports as potential habitats and critical infrastructures, challenging their increasing isolation, hyper-technologised present, and envisioning their possible futures as shared public spaces for humans and more-than-humans alike.
Irish artist Siobhán McDonald’s work, ‘Floating Body’ was prominently featured. McDonald spent the past year in residency at Dublin Port creating these evocative pieces, with the invaluable support of Dublin City Arts Office, Smart Dublin, Waterways Ireland, and The Irish Maritime Development Office.
Joining Siobhán was Lauren Moffatt, whose work ‘Chorcorallium’ results from her engagement with Belfast Harbour and local Belfast communities. Moffatt’s contribution was supported by Digital Arts Studios, SARC, Queen’s University Belfast, Maritime Belfast Trust and Belfast City Council.
“ADAPT is proud to see the impactful works of Siobhán McDonald and Lauren Moffatt, developed through the S+T+ARTS4WATER initiative, featured on such a prestigious international stage. This recognition highlights the power of collaboration among artists, scientists, and port communities in addressing critical challenges facing our oceans”, said Laura Grehan, Head of Public Engagement and Societal Impact at the Research Ireland ADAPT Centre.
The S+T+ARTS4Water II “Ports in Transformation” project is facilitated by an international consortium of cultural and scientific organisations that includes Irish partners ADAPT and Beta Festival. This second edition of S+T+ARTS4WATER continues a commitment to oceanic research and advocacy through new residencies and collaborations.
The UN Ocean Conference and the Biennale des Arts et de l’Océan 2025, organised on the occasion of World Ocean Day, brought together global leaders to debate and decide on the future of our planet’s oceans. The inclusion of POROUS within this significant event highlights the growing recognition of the arts as a powerful catalyst for dialogue and action on pressing environmental issues.
These works will go on exhibit in Ireland later this year. For updates, see the S+T+ARTS4WATER website.
