Ella Mahoney

Between a Sea and a Shore
For me, water is a source of grounding. I go to the edge when I need to clear my mind and body of any ailments I might have. In front of the ocean, I feel small but so safe.

As a visual storyteller, I know that the stories we tell about the relationships we have with the earth affect how we interact with it. “Between a Sea and a Shore” explores our relationships with the shore through people’s stories with water asking them the questions; “what is your story with water?” and “how do you care for the water, or how does it help you care for yourself?”.
I will be recording stories primarily from people of color accessing the shore and water of the Rockaways. From late April to June, I will interview and record surfers’ and beachgoers’ voices and create a large-scale silk painting in response to the conversations. In June the painting will be carried into the water as a performance and public presentation.

Image credit: Walter Wlodrarczyk

The two paintings on marine vinyl were created in response to the Gowanus Canal rezoning plans that focused on building new developments with limited affordable housing units that would push out current residents as they gentrified the neighborhood. The Gowanus canal has been classified by the EPA as a superfund site and the building around the canal without addressing this issue shows an extreme lack of care for the environment and focus on capital from the city.