At the REEF Ocean Exploration Center in Key Largo, science and art come together to spark curiosity and connection through The Ocean Inspires, a rotating art exhibit that showcases the work of artists, poets, and creatives who draw upon the ocean as a source of inspiration. Featuring interactive talkback boards, comfortable, inviting seating, and marine-focused art displays, The Ocean Inspires serves as a space for dialogue, reflection, and action.
The current featured artist, Beatriz Chachamovits, offers a thought-provoking exhibit titled "To Have and To Hold". Through intricate ceramic sculptures and delicate drawings, Chachamovits reimagines the historical cabinet of curiosities to reflect on humanity’s complex relationship with the natural world. Her work explores themes of marine ecology, mythology, and material transformation, asking viewers to consider the ways we collect, preserve, and assign value to nature. "To Have and To Hold" invites contemplation on the fragility of marine ecosystems and the choices we make in our interactions with them.
Based in Miami, Chachamovits has exhibited at leading institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami and Frost Science Museum. Her artistic practice is rooted in a deep reverence for the ocean, and she has reached over 1,000 students through “Modeling the Reef,” a hands-on workshop promoting ocean literacy.
"To Have and To Hold" is on display at the Ocean Exploration Center now. If you happen to explore the Native Plants & Heritage Trail at the REEF Campus, you might spot a few of Beatriz's other works from her collection, "Heliotropic Seekers" hanging in the trees. All are invited to visit the Ocean Exploration Center, check out the art displays and be part of this creative conversation about our shared responsibility to protect the ocean. For more info, visit www.REEF.org/oec.