Arden Surdam (b.1988 New York, NY) is a Turkish-American artist working in sculpture and photography. She completed her BA in Environmental Studies and Visual Arts at Oberlin College, USA (2010) and her MFA in Photo & Media at the California Institute of the Arts, USA (2015).Her work investigates the interconnectivity of photography and marine life. Through research into man-made interference such as chemical spills or invasive species, Surdam argues for an expanded conception of photography – one which highlights the planet’s fragility in light of anthropocentric dominance. She incorporates marine materials like algae, kelp, and oysters to demonstrate these vulnerabilities. By employing science fiction or the surreal in her installations, she creates otherworldly scenarios from present day crises. Through this lens – the imminent collapse of our oceans – is often easier to fathom. 

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