Studio 9 Independent School of the Arts is a unique educational collective specializing in mentoring students through self-directed, project-based, collaborative learning, from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Through intergenerational connections, They’ve fostered a unique community where different ages and grades come together to support, guide, and lead, based on their own passions, abilities, interests, and ideas. Students are involved in numerous forms of creativity, from dance, theatre, and music, to digital, experimental, and fine art. 

Grade 6/7 Teacher and Artist, Jesse Roode, and Directors Michael Guzzi and Patricia Rockwell, have come together and initiated this installation to complement Studio9's production of “The Little Mermaid Jr.” They proposed to explore the theme of water and asked the students what they think is most important about our aquatic realms. Preservation and sustainability came forth. They imagined all the water in the world, where it is, where it came from and all its purposes. They then imagined the creatures and what their homes may look like. Considering the unique intelligence of these mystical animals, one specifically stood out, the majestic octopus. How stunning their gardens were and how sad their gardens have become. Making homes from trash and decorating the bleached coral with it. They realized that we must consider the well-being of those beyond ourselves. The worlds beyond human. Life not only on land, but below it, and how we’re all connected. The well-being of our waterways ultimately reflects and mirrors the well-being of ourselves. Water is life.

Under the Sea, Beyond Human utilizes upcycled materials such as cans, plastic bottles, video cassette tapes, and more to create a large sea-based installation in the Alternator’s Members’ Gallery. This collaborative installation features contributions from Akira Abaku, Enzo Abaku, Salem Adrian, Sarah Adrian, Matteo Alterio-Smith, Juliet Arango, Isaac Armer, Emmett Arnason, Freya Arnason, Kendell Azama, Sydney Azama, Keira Baker, Tavian Bessette, Brynlee Bishop, Elijah Bishop, Jersey Bloomfield, Emily Brolund, Becca Burr, Gemma Byrne, Cad Cameron, Noah Chapman, Eleorah Cipes, Calliana Coble, Aaliyah Cooper-Peel, Mateo Delgado Serna, Nixon Diduch, Tia Diduch, Jace Doucet, Harlow Elliot, Fletcher Fisher, Sawyer Fisher, Cali Flores, Leila Francis, Letty Francis, Ruby-Lynn Francis, Kevin Gheeraert, Enzo Guchardi, Andrew Gunning, Siena Hasler, Cailen Hobbs, Sabriel Hopkins, Starling Jude, Joseph Kalenchuk, Chloe Kershaw, Damon Kershaw, Elise Kershaw, Salvador King, Dominic Klingspon Hein, Daniel Komlos-Szilagyi, Noemi Komlos-Szilagyi, Khloe Kostiuk-Cates, Selena Kuhlen, Cheree Lisher, Sofia Locke, Carson Lusted, Aria Martinello, Molly Mason-Brown, Tayanna Meier, Alexa Miller, Julia O'Neill, Tyson Paley, Jantina Pollack, Ariana Preston, Tsaylah Preston-Walker, Arianna Prive, Owen Prive, Chloe Pulfer-Rempel, Sarah Rueda, Sebastian Rueda, Karsen Sampson, Liberty Sanderson, Itsuki Sato, Avital Shapiro, Odin Sherback, Emma Simpson, Jack Tober, Brooklyn Woodhall, Cole Wynsouw, Ari Zelickson, Layah Zelickson, and Zev Zelickson.

Under the Sea, Beyond Human will be on view in the Members’ Gallery from April 28 to May 13, 2023.