«Ocean Spirit», 2021

Using an ancient indigenous technique, Pavel Aguilar transforms shells into wind instruments and makes them resonate. The conch shell, for example, remains an integral element of the Garifuna culture. In 1796/97, this afro-indigenous population was expelled from the Caribbean island, Saint Vincent. Today, although widely dispersed, the group remains united through their musical practice. Just as the Garifuna culture is under threat, so are the coasts and oceans to which it is naturally connected. Through a symphony of haunting shell sounds, the artist creates community by evoking the «spirit of the seas» that once enveloped our entire planet.