Oceanic Thinking exhibition explores aquatic turn in contemporary art through historical and critical perspectives

The University of Queensland Museum is currently hosting the exhibition 'Oceanic Thinking', which showcases the works of Elise Rasmussen, Izabela Pluta, and Superflex until 25 June. Curator Stefanie Hessler's 2020 essay, 'Tidalectic Curating', introduces the concept of aquatic posthumanism, drawing from Kamau Brathwaite's tidalectic ideas. A transformative approach in posthumanist critique is highlighted through critical ocean studies by Elizabeth Deloughrey and Philip E. Steinberg. Historical influences trace back to Gaston Bachelard's 1942 work 'Water and Dreams', which impacted David Gumbs' 2014 film. The 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora inspired artists like Caspar David Friedrich and J.M.W. Turner, while Superflex's 2009 film 'Flooded McDonald's' evokes Romantic themes. Julien Creuzet's 2019 video explores colonial histories tied to the Atlantic slave trade, and Rila Mukherjee (2013) examines Indian Ocean trade networks, contrasting them with Jules Verne's narratives from 1870.