At the National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST) in Athens, the Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation presented Coralographies: the 7,500-year-old Coral Animalesque, a book by David Brooks inspired by two decades of research and conservation work dedicated to protecting the coralligenous ecosystems of the Aegean Sea. A Greek edition of the book will be released soon.

Through an innovative artistic approach, Coralographies introduces Greek and international audiences to the Aegean’s largely unknown coralligenous habitats, placing them in dialogue with ancient Greek texts on marine life. The book offers a unique perspective on how art can inspire active engagement in environmental protection and the welfare of non-human life.

David Brooks is a visual artist and professor at New York University whose work explores the relationships between art, society, and the environment. Drawing on 20 years of research conducted by the Archipelagos Institute, his book brings to light a little-known yet extraordinary aspect of Greece’s marine ecosystems.

The presentation took place as part of the Against Animal Capitalism symposium, held in dialogue with the exhibition Why Look at Animals? Justice for Non-Human Life at EMST. The two-day event explored the place of non-human life in contemporary society.

We extend our sincere thanks to David Brooks for his exceptional work, both in authoring the book and in creating the museum exhibition dedicated to the corals of the Aegean Sea.

We are also deeply grateful to Katerina Gregou, Artistic Director of EMST, and Ioli Tzanetaki, Exhibitions Advisor, for this initiative and for their long-standing collaboration with the Archipelagos Institute. Their support has created valuable opportunities to join forces in promoting and protecting the unique natural wealth of the Greek seas through the active engagement of the artistic community.