My artistic practice explores the relationship between human beings and the natural world, with a particular focus on water, ecosystems, and ecological awareness. Through a multidisciplinary approach combining visual art, sound, performance, research, and community engagement, I investigate how art can become a space for reconnecting people with the living systems that sustain us.
Water and the ocean have always been central sources of inspiration in my work — not only as physical environments, but also as symbols of life, memory, transformation, and interconnectedness. I explore water as a universal element that connects all living beings, from the movement of rivers and waves to the earliest human experiences of rhythm and flow.
One of my key projects, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, is inspired by Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem and its ecological message. The project examines the consequences of human disconnection from nature through the symbolic act of the Mariner killing the albatross — a creature that saved his crew — and the curse that follows as a consequence of this act. Through a group of environmentally conscious artists, we reinterpret the Mariner’s endless storytelling as a contemporary ecological warning: a message that must continue to travel and awaken awareness about humanity’s responsibility toward the planet. The artworks explore the possibility of healing this broken relationship and rediscovering respect for all forms of life.
Another significant body of work, Fishman, explores the ancient connection between humans, rivers, and aquatic environments. Inspired by the culture of Lepenski Vir, where early human communities represented themselves through fish-like stone sculptures, the project questions our contemporary relationship with water: Where is the human being today in relation to the natural environment that once defined our existence? Through hybrid human–fish forms, the work reflects on belonging, adaptation, and the loss and recovery of ecological balance.
A recurring element of my practice is transforming waste materials into artworks, recycled musical instruments, and sound installations. These works address consumption, pollution, and renewal by giving discarded materials a new life and meaning. In collaboration with musicians and performers, I create compositions and multimedia experiences, including songs for children’s choirs performed with recycled and original instruments. These projects use sound as a tool for environmental education, encouraging younger generations to develop emotional connections with nature.
My background in architecture and later specialization in fine arts in Athens has shaped my interdisciplinary approach. I work at the intersection of art, ecology, and research, creating projects that invite dialogue between artistic expression and environmental knowledge. Through collaboration with artists, scientists, educators, and communities, my practice aims to contribute to ocean and water literacy by creating emotional, sensory, and imaginative ways of understanding water ecosystems.
My work is ultimately about restoring a sense of kinship between humans and the natural world — remembering that we are not separate from nature, but part of its continuous cycle.
Website: https://www.behance.net/marijaormaz