The Sunken Boat: A Glimpse into Past Histories confronts the urgent realities of the climate and environmental crisis, as well as the issue of rising sea levels. At its centre is a floating papier-mâché sculpture of a diver, slightly larger than life, positioned above a vast mound of sand, evoking the seabed as both a literal and symbolic space. Surrounding the diver are vibrant glass shells, sculptures of underwater swimmers and an array of painted paper cut-outs depicting fish, all contributing to a rich and immersive underwater tableau.
The installation is accompanied by a soundscape composed of sea recordings captured in the cities of Alexandria, Egypt; Margate, England; and Aarhus, Denmark. As a final layer to the installation, Boghiguian has painted a mural directly onto the gallery wall at ARoS, forming a backdrop that anchors the work in place and time.
“There is a world beneath the surface of the sea that is very different from the world we know above the sea. The work is about that world. It is like diving into yourself and discovering yourself,” says Anna Boghiguian.
The Sunken Boat invites you into a vivid and contemplative universe where historical narratives, personal memories, and the contemporary crises converge. In Boghiguian’s hands, the sea becomes more than a motif — it emerges as a living force, a deep current that connects our collective past to the decisions that shape our future.
