Voyages: Chapter 7 Sneak Peek With Featured Artist Submersive Productions

Submersive Productions' artistic directors, Ursula Marcum and Glenn Ricci, are no strangers to Voyages, the Aquarium's immersive event series for adults. Both served as community advisors for early chapters and attended every event, fascinated with the different worlds each Voyages artist created. Now, they're excited to transform the Aquarium in their own way.

Collaborative artworks company Submersive Productions is the featured artist for the National Aquarium's Voyages: Chapter 7 event on July 17. In the spirit of collaboration, the event will be devised by a core artistic team called The Helm who each bring their own inspirations to the project. This group includes Ursula and Glenn, along with Vicky Graham, Betse Lyons, Jacob Marrero, Mika Nakano, Kiirstn Pagan and Susan Stroupe. Through puppetry and movement, their art will focus on animal perception and encourage guests to see humanity in relationship with other organisms, not in dominion over them.

"Collaboration is at the heart of what we do because ecosystems in collaboration thrive," said Ursula. "We're trying to find harmony for all because when the environment flourishes, we all flourish."

As part of their Voyages residency, Submersive Productions met with Aquarium experts to learn about how animals experience the world and how people apply knowledge of animal perception to policy. For example, bright lights confuse migrating birds that use the moon and stars to navigate. Implementing policies that encourage people to turn off nonessential lights during certain hours can help protect birds. Submersive Productions felt inspired by how Aquarium staff work together to connect guests with nature and knew they wanted to work with a group of scientists with the same passion for collaboration.

Seeking a Collective

The Johnsen Lab of Sensory Biology at Duke University, led by Dr. Sonke Johnsen, conducts open-ocean research cruises to learn about animals' visual senses. This scientific collective is comprised of a rotating group of graduate students, postdoctoral students and technicians. They prioritize collaboration with other scientists to share findings and improve communication in the field. Through their work, they've studied bioluminescence, ultraviolet vision and other adaptations that affect the way sea creatures experience the world, which spoke to Submersive Productions.

"We loved learning about how the lab's research on perception has shaped their understanding of the ocean," Glenn said. "And as a group of collaborating artists, we appreciate that the Johnsen Lab values collaboration in their work, too. We see a good deal of overlap between artists and scientists. Both groups are curious, explore the world through questions and experiments, are open to the awe and wonder of it all, and want to share that with others."

An Ocean of Puppets

Feeling energized by conversations with experts, Submersive Productions gravitated toward the joy and humor of puppets to design an underwater festival. Using upcycled materials, the company will craft several large-scale puppets of marine life that will "swim" around guests, immersing them in an oceanic celebration. The event will also feature movement performers, small puppets and performers wearing handmade fish masks to create a festival atmosphere.

"Puppets are a wonderful addition to a rich, multi-layered environment, and they can do many things that would be difficult for a human performer to do, like fly, glow or quickly transform," said Ursula. "We've learned that puppets are surprisingly disarming. We have seen audience members interact with the puppets, even play with the puppets, all while the puppeteer was fully visible."

Performers will invite guests who want to participate to join in the fun with clear prompts. Every interaction will affect the flow of the night's story and encourage guests to experience the world the way different animals do.

"For every show we do, we ask ourselves, 'What makes the audience essential?' During this event, the audience will be part of the experience with us," said Glenn. "We are creating an ecosystem that guests can build with us as the night goes on."

Shadow puppets, a puppet touch tank, a crocheted coral reef, a stand-up comedian, an original soundtrack and more will add to the festival ambiance. The night will culminate in a parade transporting guests from the ocean to outer space. Each guest will get a fish puppet to wave around as they walk with the artists to an out-of-this-world after-party presented by the Astronaut Symphony from Afro House, an Afrofuturist symphonic performance art group.

Playing Alongside Puppets

Submersive Productions is excited for guests to play in their curated world of joy and wonder. They hope guests feel a greater connection to the humans and aquatic life around them as they let themselves enjoy the silliness of puppets.

"Joy and play are survival mechanisms for navigating the grief of reality," said Ursula. "We want every grown-up to let go, be playful and let joy bubble up inside themselves."