"With The Sea Between Us, we celebrate five years of artistic dialogue and cultural exchange. The exhibition is both a tribute and a call—to see the ocean not only as a space between us, but as a living thread that connects, inspires, and urgently calls for our care."
— Stella Melbye-Konan, Gallery Director & Curator, Galerie Melbye-Konan
To celebrate its fifth anniversary, Galerie Melbye-Konan presents the summer group exhibition The Sea Between Us – 5 Years of Dialogue, curated in close cooperation with the French Consulate General and the Institut français in Hamburg, on the occasion of the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference, taking place in Nice from June 9–13, 2025.
The title “The Sea Between Us” symbolizes both the distance and connection embodied by the ocean – a vast, dynamic space linking cultures, histories, and ecosystems. This exhibition honors five years of curatorial dedication and cultural exchange while looking ahead to the role of art as a catalyst for awareness and transformation.
Eight international artists explore the fragility and beauty of our natural world, focusing on the sea as a vital yet threatened ecosystem and symbol of transformation. Using diverse media and styles, Yannick Ackah, Belén, Nathalie David, François Martinache, Stella Meris, Ngoye, Karolin Schwab, and Yeanzi address urgent ecological issues and the complex relationship between humanity and nature.
The works range from sculptural interventions and powerful paintings to mixed media and conceptual installations. The artists create dialogues between aesthetics and activism, personal expression and global relevance. Whether through abstracted underwater worlds, critical engagement with colonial environmental legacies, or the use of recycled materials, they invite audiences to reflect on the future of our planet.
