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Joan Jonas’s “Moving Off the Land II” is an ode to the ocean and its inhabitants.
The artist’s multi-part performance and installation stemmed from her MIT course on the deep sea — covering the ocean as a threatened ecosystem and a site for transformative encounters with animal life.
This segment features underwater footage recorded in Jamaica, alongside audio of a conversation between Jonas and fisherman George Williams. Williams contrasts commercial fishing practices in Jamaica with the methods of the elders from his youth, who heeded the dangers of overfishing and could discern the migration patterns of fish by reading the stars.
As the camera floats among schools of fish, undulating aquatic plant life, and ornate coral formations, Williams offers the viewer a cautionary appeal: “Protect the environment and our fishing industry.”
See “Moving Off the Land II” in “Joan Jonas: Good Night Good Morning,” on view now at MoMA.
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Joan Jonas. “Jamaican Fisherman, from Moving Off the Land II.” 2019. Video (color, sound), 4:06 min. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, and Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. © 2024 Joan Jonas
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