AMOC is a 10-minute art-science video essay that re-thinks complex oceanographic knowledge about the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), climate change and post-growth futures into a reflective, critical experience.
The work begins with a direct address: on 27 July 2023 a marine microbial ecologist (the artist) learns that the Atlantic Ocean circulation, key in global climate regulation, is weakening towards collapse. From this moment, the piece reflects on the huge (but invisible) effect of ocean circulation on climate, and society's struggle to grasp the planetary consequences of its slow-down.
Through a looping conversation between the artist (also a scientist), the ocean and contemporary scientific research, AMOC combines a narrative and poetic voice with digital and generative art. The piece has been developed through an autoethnographic approach evoking a visual language reminiscent of computational tools used to analyse ocean data. The terminal is the oracle through which Marta speaks with the ocean.
The project extends into an exhibit of three “contact points” with planetary processes that related to AMOC's narrative: (1) the 2023 Nature Comms. paper by Ditlevsen & Ditlevsen proposing a potential AMOC collapse later this century; (2) a vial of North Atlantic seawater collected at 907 m depth (2024); and (3) a rock from the El Hierro submarine volcanic eruption (2016).
Direction, writing and production: Marta Royo-Llonch (SHOOK Studio)
Scientific advising: Dr. Marta Umbert, Dr. Júlia Crespin (ICM-CSIC)
Artistic mentoring: Dr. Lúa Coderch (BAU)
Voice-over: Mercè Torrens, Jordi Brunet
Audio engineering: Marc Ibáñez, SONO XL
Funded by Fundació Catalana per a la Recerca i la Innovació (FCRI), Ajuts FCRI 2025.
Special thanks to Toni Aranda (SHOOK Studio) and BOLDTRON (access to KREA.AI as part of Krea Artist Program).
Research process available at @amoc.project
