the Posidonia
Project
an ambient music and multi-disciplinary initiative that originated in Ibiza. Its aim is to create awareness and raise funds for the protection of Posidonia, a critical ecosystem in the Mediterranean Sea.
Posidonia is renowned as one of the most powerful carbon sinks, playing a significant role in combating climate change.
Posidonia meadows are the lungs of the Mediterranean Sea
Posidonia oceanica, commonly known as Neptune grass, is a plant (not an algae) adapted to live underwater. It is a vital element to preserve the Mediterranean’s ecosystems, prevent coastal erosion and balance the presence of carbon dioxide in the sea and atmosphere.
Posidonia meadows are in fact one of the most efficient ecosystems in nature, providing shelter for many underwater species and contributing to the removal of CO2 from the atmosphere: one square meter of seagrass captures the equivalent of 15 square meters of Amazon Rainforest.
The Posidonia meadows in the Balearic islands of Ibiza and Formentera were declared in 1999 as World Heritage by UNESCO, considered the largest and the longest living being on the planet, about 15km long and up to 100.000 years old.
Unfortunately, since the beginning of the 20th century, this extremely slow-growing and long-lived species have become severely threatened by human impact and have been declining at an alarming rate.
In the Balearic Islands, the plants that populate the seabed are currently in regression, not only due to the warming of the water, but also due to local disturbances such as pollution or the anchoring of boats.
We urgently need to protect and save Posidonia, our great ally in the fight against climate change.
Every greener step we make, it’s a step to make the world a better place.
about the project
The Posidonia Project was conceived by composer Coco Francavilla, founder of MusicForThe Sea—an NGO dedicated to connecting musicians and forward-thinking creatives to support marine sustainability.
With a profound love for the Mediterranean Sea and a strong environmental commitment, Coco Francavilla, a long-time resident of the Balearic Island of Ibiza, envisioned a project aimed at raising awareness and funds for Posidonia. She believed that amidst global challenges, the artist community possesses the power to advocate for a more sustainable planet, fostering unity and peace.
The project invites ambient artists to Ibiza for a transformative Posidonia Journey, engaging in a captivating photographic expedition, capturing field recordings by the sea, and finding inspiration in Coco's WIDER SOUNDS studio in Ibiza to craft ambient compositions.
The Posidonia Project seeks to accomplish the following objectives:
Ongoing digital releases showcasing tracks composed by participating ambient artists, allowing for continuous engagement with the project's artistic output.
Production of a compilation album on vinyl, pressed using bio-plastic materials, featuring original tracks by the participating artists. This physical format serves as a tangible representation of the project's artistic contributions while emphasizing sustainability in music distribution.
Creation of a photo art book printed on zero-impact Favini recycled algae paper, featuring captivating imagery from Posidonia expeditions and stunning underwater photographs of the Balearic Sea. This visually immersive publication aims to raise awareness of marine conservation issues while promoting eco-friendly printing practices.
Hosting of immersive audio-visual events with installations and live performances, held both in Ibiza and at digital arts festivals across Europe with our partners such as MUTEK and OpenLab. These events feature all artists involved in the project and are organized in alignment with sustainable event management practices, fostering environmental consciousness within the creative community.
Development of marine conservation educational videos, documentaries, and workshops tailored to engage children in sustainable thinking through art and music. These resources serve to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards while highlighting the importance of preserving marine ecosystems like the Posidonia meadows.
Implementation of Marine Bioacoustic Monitoring of Posidonia Meadows through Passive Acoustic Monitoring techniques. Sound artists participate in underwater recording sessions during residency programs on the island, capturing the unique acoustic properties of the marine environment and contributing valuable data to ongoing conservation efforts.
Launch of a dedicated radio show BlueWave on the esteemed electronic Radio OpenLab platform, featuring the music of project artists and promoting awareness of marine conservation issues to a broader audience. Through this radio programming, the project aims to amplify its message while engaging listeners in discussions surrounding environmental sustainability.
Proceeds from all project components will be donated to local NGOs and institutions, such as IbizaPreservation, the Vellmari Association, and EarthPercent—a charity founded by Brian Eno.
EarthPercent is among the music community working toward the fight against climate change.
This initiative underscores the belief that local action is the cornerstone of global change.
“We need to defend diversity on land and in the sea and we need solutions, and these solutions can only be realized by harnessing the imaginative side of human culture – the arts.”
artists
The artists invited to take part in THE POSIDONIA PROJECT are exceptional composers thriving in the ambient music scene.
The goal is to invite these artists to a four-day residency at Coco’s WIDER SOUNDS studio between summer 2022 and winter 2024. During their visit to the Balearic Island, artists will have the opportunity to explore Posidonia marine sites, embark on sonic journeys, and participate in photographic expeditions to find inspiration for composing tracks to be included in the compilation album.
Each artist will have the chance to conduct field recordings by the Posidonia meadows, both underwater and along the sea surface. These tracks will be featured in the compilation album and utilized for artistic visual content creation to raise awareness about Posidonia.
Additionally, extracts from the tracks, accompanied by visuals of the sea, could potentially be used to create climate-forward artistic videos , serving as another powerful fundraising vehicle.
Unique new-media artists will be invited to contribute to the creation of visuals , enhancing the project's artistic and environmental impact.
Artist invitations (Ibiza Residencies)
RAFAEL ANTON IRISARRI
CATERINA BARBIERI
GRAND RIVER
MARY LATTIMORE
TELEFON TEL AVIV
SOFIE BIRCH
HELEN VOGELSINGER
KMRU
PATRICIA WOLF
MARTA DE PASCALIS
STEVE HAUSHILDT +
IMAGINARY SOFTWOOD (EMERALDS)
ANA ROXANNE
KAZUYA NAGAYA
LOSCIL
BENDIK GISKE
COCO FRANCAVILLA
E. DE RAYMONDI
MORE ARTISTS TBA
There will be several photographers contributing to the project for the Posidonia photo-book and imagery assets.
One of the photographer invited to the project is Manu San Felix. National Geographic explorer and marine biologist, Manu is a renowned photojournalist who has dedicated his life to researching and caring for the natural world, specifically the underwater environment.
Since the 1980s, the reporter has been fighting to protect and call attention about the Posidonia. He’s also the creator of the PosidoniaMaps App, a cartography project to protect the Mediterranean.
He’s the founder of The Vellmari Association, a place that works to unite marine conservation, research, communication and education with the aim of raising awareness and helping to respect our seas and oceans.
Manu has been in the "Pristine Seas" team for more than ten years, a National Geographic project dedicated to researching, disseminating and raising awareness for the conservation of our planet.
Another photographer invited to take part in the project is Lorenzo Melissari.
Born in Sicily and based in Ibiza since many years, Lorenzo grew up with the sea inside of his heart. Committed to raise awareness about Posidonia since he fell in love with it in the Balearic Island, he’s been dedicating his artistic experience to explore underwater poetic imageries of the Posidonia meadows in connection with human body, with a an evocative and dream-like approach.
Artists coming to Ibiza will be exploring Posidonia marine site with Lorenzo , and will be taken into a mesmerizing photographic journey as well as and an occasion for field-recordings.
visual arts
The project will involve a series of ground-breaking visual artists to create interactive and forward-thinking audio-visuals assets - combining the artists’ compositions with elements of nature, digital arts and AI. The goal is to bring the audio-visual installations at Digital Arts festivals to raise awareness to use as a vehicle for fundraising.
Artists TBA soon
photography
Photos by Lorenzo Melissari
Video by Manu San Felix
Visual Art
Visual artists are invited to join the Posidonia Project, where they will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the mesmerizing beauty of the sea and draw inspiration from its enchanting depths. Through this collaboration, artists are encouraged to create multimedia art that reflects their personal connection to the ocean and its delicate ecosystems. These captivating artworks will be showcased as part of immersive art installations, providing a platform for the expression of diverse perspectives on marine conservation and sustainability. Additionally, selected pieces may be featured at music events such as MUTEK festivals, where they will complement live performances and enrich the overall sensory experience for attendees.
Visual by Eduardo Navarro
Music by Grand River
the journey
Here are some images of the Artists’ journey experiencing The Posidonia Project residencies in Ibiza … between magic expeditions by the sea, field-recordings by the water and the sky… and mesmerizing time in the studio.
Sofie Birch
Grand River
Rafael Anton Irisarri
The Expeditions with Artists - photos by Coco Francavilla
The Artists in the Studio - photos by Coco Francavilla
The production cost of the project (to cover fees to artists/ studio residencies/ photo material/ audio mastering/ press of vinyl / printing of photo-book/ distribution/ promotion etc) will be financed by contributions from several sponsors and via a crowdfunding campaign (on platforms such GoFundMe, ThinkMa, promoting sustainable projects in Ibiza).
donations
The proceeds from the project (sales of Vinyl + PhotoBook, live events, personal donations, exhibitions, art installations) will be donated to associations and foundations committed to the safeguard of the Posidonia and marine habitat such as:
VELLMARI ASSOCIATION
Founded by marine biologist and National Geographic photographer Manu San Felix, Vellmari it’s an association that work to conserve marine habitats and ecosystems (especially Posidonia), inspiring people and companies so that together we can face the threats suffered by the seas and oceans and specifically the Mediterranean Sea. Vellmari works in a coordinated way and in direct contact with Universities, educational and research centers, which allows to have a direct and rigorous knowledge of the development of the projects
IbizaPreservation promotes the conservation and regeneration of the unique environmental heritage of Ibiza and Formentera by participating in the implementation and management of strategic environmental projects.
Founded by composer and ambient music pioneer Brian Eno , EarthPercent is a charity providing a simple way for the music industry to support the most impactful organizations addressing the climate emergency. The mission is to encourage artists and music-related organizations to pledge a small percentage of their income to EarthPercent. This percentage can be collected at source and diverted to EarthPercent where it will be directed to the most impactful organizations dealing with climate change.