Reflection

We walk along the sandy beach hopping over the tangled blob of seaweed that has washed ashore, and kick it off our leg as we swim as if it were some sea monster trying to grab a hold of us. However, seaweed is far from an antagonistic, slimy, smelly beach monster, rather, it is becoming a vital part of a sustainable future from replacing plastics in design and making biofuel, to drawing down carbon, and revitalizing ocean ecosystems. 75 years ago, the Japanese Nori Industry was struggling. The effects of World War II bombings and typhoons left a devastating mark on Nori farming. A world away, Kathleen Drew Baker, a botanist, collected seaweed samples from UK coastlines. As a phycologist, she discovered and published in Nature the elusive life history of the Nori Seaweed. Her research, which was utilized by a Japanese scientist, saved an economy and a cultural legacy. Today, we look to cutting edge technology as the key to our climate crisis, but often there is value to be found in the past. Dr. Drew’s work remains vital as we strengthen seaweed reproduction in the face of climate events, and as we harness its power for a healthier future. It is this story I wanted to tell in my piece, I used distinct ocean photographs, woven images, drawings of Porphyra cyanotypes and multi-colored threads to tell not only Kathleen’s story but also one of human connection through the ocean and the past. I have realized through this process how much the ocean truly weaves us together- transcending time, place, and social boundaries; Kathleen Drew’s story, work, and legacy continues to be the living embodiment of this, and deserves to be shared.