Aisling Davis is a composer, writer, and artist researching oceanography, utilitarian design and bio-acoustics. Growing up in the flooding-prone Calder Valley, Aisling first became interested in how the ocean shapes history through her undergraduate thesis, where she analysed how Irish coastal archaeology in the Early Modern period connected to the Mediterranean and Atlantic. It is perhaps understandable then that for her Post-Baccalaureate in Fine Art she moved to an isolated fishing village in the Co.Clare National Park, The Burren. Living here significantly shaped Aisling’s artistic practice as most days would be a walk to the beach in search of dolphins, beach glass, fishing ropes, and marine life.

During her Art in Science Master’s project Aisling attended, presented, conversed, and debated at research conferences and institutes actively engaged in ocean studies, with the aim to bridge academic silos through art practice. The practice-led research culminated in a body of creative works focused on acoustics, changing ocean salinity, marine animals, and the unknowns of mapping the seafloor.

52 HERTZ - Conversations of Art in Ocean Science

The ocean, with its vast depths and uncharted submerged terrestrials, remains one of humanity's last frontiers. Its variety and immensity present a rich tapestry of unknowns, making it an ideal landscape for interdisciplinary collaboration. This interconnected body of water serves as the principal regulator of our climate and a vital transporter of carbon, heat, and oxygen. Indeed, human and non-human history has been profoundly shaped by the ocean's dynamics, influencing patterns of exploration, settlement, and culture that has largely been ignored.

The exhibition ‘52 Hertz’ delves into the intricate relationship between the silos of art and ocean science. It employs a variety of media, including experimental water carving, 3D sound mapping, abstract painting, and film, to foster discussions about the fragmentation within academic disciplines and the potential benefits of their integration. By connecting hydro-acoustics, brutalist architecture, and marine ecology, ‘52 Hertz’ utilises the oceanic space as a cohesive theme to bring together visual, sculptural, and audio data. It underscores the importance of dialogue and the creative exploration of our world's most mysterious and vital resource.