Prada Rong Zhai turns ocean blue for SEA BEYOND

THE EVENT

Exhibitions

Thematic Talks

Workshops

From October 10 to 19, Prada Rong Zhai – the historic 1918 residence located in the heart of Shanghai – opens its doors for the first time to SEA BEYOND to host a multi-faceted program with a wide range of educational activities for children and adults, aimed at better understanding the relationships among ocean and human beings, and how each influences the other.
The experience unfolds across several rooms, each shaped by Rong Zhai’s distinctive stylistic identity: the original spaces, featuring works of art and antique objects, become the evocative backdrop for this immersive narrative on the ocean.

The appointments with SEA BEYOND

Ballroom – The Ocean&Climate Village

The Ocean & Climate Village – a travelling, immersive, interactive science exhibition developed by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO that explores the complex connections between the ocean and the global climate – will welcome guests in the Ballroom, originally dedicated to parties and formal events under a massive stained-glass skylight of sixty-nine panels. The exhibition features a wide range of educational tools, from infographics and photos to interactive installations and tactile experiences, highlighting the ocean’s vital role in regulating the Earth’s climate. Among those, the UpSeaDown installation , which shows how global warming has expanded the volume of the ocean, and how this trend may continue, on a timeline from 1940 to 2100. Feel the Change, a tactile installation, which allows visitors to touch models of marine ecosystems in both their natural and acidified states. FIO (First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources) and DCC-OCC (UN Decade Collaborative Centre on Ocean-Climate Nexus and Coordination Amongst Decade Implementing Partners in P.R. China) have supported the adaptation of the contents to the local context.

Fourth floor – The photographic exhibition by Enzo Barracco

A selection of the best shots of Emmy-nominated environmental photographer and climate artist Enzo Baracco will lead visitors to acknowledge through the power of photography how climate change can affect the environment. Pictures have been taken during photographic expeditions in Antarctica, Galapagos, Hawaii and Alaska, which will be premiered on this occasion. As in the past exhibition, Enzo is using photography as universal language to raise awareness of climate change as he usually says, “photography does not need translation”.

THE GARDEN – Outdoor screening of two documentaries

“Kindergarten of the Lagoon”, a short movie recounting the experience of a Venetian school involved in the initiative within the SEA BEYOND project, which offers Preschool children the opportunity to closely understand and love the lagoon ecosystem through outdoor education;
“Deep White Forests”, dedicate to the story of the scientific research project on black coral in the waters of the Egadi Islands in Sicily (Italy) by Giovanni Chimienti, marine biologist, National Geographic Explorer and SEA BEYONDer.

Thematic talks

To mark the opening, on the 10^th of October a series of thematic talks – livestreamed on Tencent Channels – brought together high-level figures from the fields of science, the arts, and the private sector, offering diverse perspectives on ocean education.

"Ocean literacy and global collaboration” saw Francesca Santoro, IOC Senior Program Officer, in conversation with Dr. Fangli Qiao Member of Academia Europaea, Deputy Director General of the First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, China, Director of UN Ocean Decade Collaborative Centre on Ocean-climate Nexus, and Philip Tinari, Director, UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, to highlight the global mission of ocean literacy and the importance of cross-sector collaborations.

View Gallery

For “Emotions, storytelling, and ocean protection” SAKANA-KUN, renowned Japanese Ichthyologist, Professor and Artist, joined Titouan Bernicot, Founder of Coral Gardeners and SEA BEYOND Goodwill Ambassador in a dialogue moderated by podcaster Zhang Zhiqi to explore the emotional, narrative, and scientific dimensions of ocean conservation. The conversation was also joined by actor Bai YuFan, who recounted his passion for the sea, which he developed despite growing up in an inland province.

“Photography’s role in climate awareness” was an intimate conversation between Enzo Barracco, Emmy nominated Environmental Photographer and Climate Artist, and Francesca Santoro, IOC Senior Program Officer, on the role of visual art in promoting ocean preservation and environmental responsibility. Focusing on the beauty of nature, the dialogue highlighted how art can bridge science and society, raising awareness and inspiring action for the planet.

Educational workshops for children

Young visitors were engaged in educational workshops that blended science, art, and ocean awareness through lively, hands-on experiences. During the opening days, children explored ocean pollution and its impact on marine life (“Ocean kaleidoscope: rescue the whale”), learned how sea level rise affects both marine and human ecosystems and discovered nature-based solutions (“Land and sea: mini-ecosystems”), and got to know the most iconic fish species in Chinese waters through live drawing and storytelling by SAKANA-KUN (“Secrets of the Sea: A Journey into the World of Fish”). Among the participants were a group of elementary school students from Guizhou, an inland province of China. Thanks to SEA BEYOND, they travelled to Shanghai with their teachers to experience the seaside for the first time, bringing them closer to ocean knowledge and marine culture.