Explore The Darkest Depths Of The Deep

Starting from 6 June 2015, light will be shed on life below 4,000 metres in The Deep, a first-of-its-kind exhibition that features over 40 rarely seen deep-sea creatures.

Set in a pitch-black environment, visitors to the exhibition held at the ArtScience Museum can experience what it is like to view the creatures in their natural habitat. A key highlight of the exhibition is Hidden/Depths, an installation by Australian artist, Lynette Wallworth, which encourages visitors to take on the role of deep-sea explorers. This interactive installation allows visitors to use UV torches to uncover seven, never-before-seen, deep-sea specimens and three films of bioluminescent animals, hidden in 18 luminescent glass sculptures.

One deep-sea specimen on display in Hidden/Depths is the BlackDragon Fish, a creature that stands out with its body covered in minuscule photophores that light up when the fish is disturbed. Their luminous barbels serve as a lure to attract prey, yet only the females are supplied with these features. Interestingly, the males of this particular species can be 10 times smaller than the females and do not possess a lure or teeth. For the installation, Wallworth worked with a series of experts from Great Britain and Singapore to ensure these creatures were presented in the best manner possible.

As part of the opening weekend, Claire Nouvian, curator of The Deep will be on hand at selected timings to provide guided tours, in which she will share her insights and how the exhibition was brought to fruition. She will also be joined by Lynette Wallworth at Expression Gallery on 6 June 2015, where they will speak about their efforts in marine conservation and the driving forces behind their works. Admission is free for the talk.

Wallworth will also be providing guided tours of The Deep this weekend and reveal what went into her work in Hidden/Depths. She will be accompanied by taxidermist Allan Gotinni, who will share the processes used to bring the deep-sea creatures to the surface. The specimens had to be carefully preserved for The Deep, as the differences in environmental elements such as pressure, temperature, salinity and oxygen levels between deep and shallow waters make it impossible for them to survive out of deep waters.

Tickets are on sale for The Deep, which will run for a limited season at ArtScience Museum.

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