Can the Seas Survive Us?
15 March - 21 September 2025Our new Universal Ticket allows access to our entire gallery. This ticket operates on a ‘Pay If and What You Can’ basis. Upon arrival, please go to gallery reception where our universal ticket is available. No pre-booking necessary. If you would like to make a Group Booking or have additional access needs, please contact us on scva@uea.ac.uk or 01603 593199
Can the Seas Survive Us?
Three exhibitions will chart a course through the story of the oceans, and the dangerous future that they may be heading towards, featuring historical artworks, maps, atlases, archives, and contemporary art from across the globe.
A World of Water
15 March – 3 August 2025
A World of Water brings together a number of works by British and International artists from the last 250 years who have all offered a unique perspective of evolving marine ecosystems and oceanic environments.
Featuring artworks by Josh Kline (b.1979), John Crome (1768–1821), Maggi Hambling (b.1945), George Vincent (1796–1832) and Hendricus Theodorus Wijdeveld (1885–1987), the exhibition will raise pivotal questions around how we can transform our interactions with the ocean, responding to climate change, coastal erosion and environmental degradation.
Yuki Kihara
15 March – 3 August 2025
In Yuki Kihara’s solo show, the Sainsbury Centre will host the UK premiere and further development of Paradise Camp, the celebrated work by Japanese and Samoan artist Yuki Kihara (b.1975).
The work consists of 12 photographs that echo the works of Paul Gauguin (1848–1903) but challenge these past narratives, including casting Fa’afafine and Fa’atama models – a third gender community found in Sāmoan culture. Following its success at New Zealand Pavilion at the 2022 Venice Biennale, the work will be further developed following new research that reveals how evolutionary biologist Charles Darwin (1809–1882) shaped some of his findings to conform to the conservative values of the Victorian period
Sea Inside
7 June – 21 September 2025
Closing the series will be Sea Inside which turns the oceanic gaze inward, investigating the physical, psychological and imaginary depths of humans with the ocean.
Diving in shared watery origins, Indigenous lifeways and the contents we pluck out and display on land, the exhibition will feature a range of mixed media and experimental artworks by such as artists as Shuvinai Ashoona (b.1961), Marcus Coates (b.1968), Evan Ifekoya (b.1988) and Hiroshi Sugimoto (b.1948).
All three exhibitions will delve into humanity’s deep relationship with the seas and act as a call to action – showing how coastal communities are bearing the brunt of human-caused climate change, the bodily and spiritual connections that could be lost, and how to continue with the waters that have shaped the very fabric of global society.
Male figure (‘Fishermen’s god’), 1775 – 1825, wood. Copyright: Donated by Robert and Lisa Sainsbury, 1973