S O S -SAVE OUR SEAS
Jem Freiesleben
SOS Seaweed – Save Our Seas
In 2018, artist Irene Rogan created a site-specific environmental artwork on the rural Cumbrian coastline near Millom. Using mounds of seaweed, she inscribed the Morse code message SOS – Save Our Seas (... .- ...- . / --- ..- .-. / ... . .- ....) on the shoreline.
The tidal flow gradually dispersed and erased the message and within a week, the seaweed had disappeared entirely from the shore. A companion piece was planned—recreating the message using collected plastic waste and debris, highlighting the impact of human activity on marine ecosystems.
This ephemeral artwork was captured on film by videographer Jem Freiesleben.
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