Art for Oceans: French Institute in India kicks off ocean-themed Festival of Ideas in Goa

A multitude of activities to engage with the topic of ocean protection, especially for the young

Dive back into Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, or explore the ocean through the lens of Indian literature—from Rudyard Kipling to Amitav Ghosh.

Think. Play. Feel.  Engage. Connect.

You Are the Ocean.

Goa Khabar: Global average sea level has risen by 8–9 inches since 1880 — and it’s on the rise. Meaning? Ocean ecosystems need our undivided attention now. With the planet’s marine life as its focus this year, the Festival of Ideas in India, titled “We Are the Ocean”, has opened at the Museum of Goa and will run till May 18, 2025. Organised by the French Institute in India, it will host a multitude of parallel events, ranging from interactive art installations and film screenings to panel discussions and VR experiences, to emphasize the core idea that oceans are essential to maintaining the planet’s equilibrium.

From artworks on seaside landscapes to a plankton ‘ballet’, there’s much to experience for both ecology and culture enthusiasts. At the heart of the festival, nine thought-provoking panel discussions – curated by Dakshin Foundation – bring together diverse voices from across India’s coasts to spotlight the social, ecological, and political dimensions of ocean conservation.

The month-long programme has been brought together by the French Institute in India in collaboration with the Alliance Française network, the French Development Agency (AFD- Agence Française de Développement), Dakshin Foundation and Mongabay India, with the support of The Environmentalist Foundation of India, Tara Ocean Foundation, Nausicaá, IFREMER, and Oceanopolis.

Mr Damien Syed, Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Embassy of France in India, said: “With The Festival of Ideas – We Are the Ocean, France reaffirms its commitment to making the ocean a shared global resource and a driver of Indo-French cooperation. Bringing together experts, artists and citizens, We Are the Ocean adopts a truly multidisciplinary approach to raise awareness about and work towards ocean action in the run-up to UNOC3.”

The theme of this year’s festival aligns with the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) and leads up to the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in June.

Take a deep dip into the ocean

When entering the Alliance française Delhi, the visitor is welcomed by a giant wall of waves, diving down into the gallery Romain Rolland, one floor below. This monumental art installation symbolizes a rite of passage: once down there “You are no longer a visitor, you are a part of the Ocean”.  The famous explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau once said: “We love what we marvel at, and we protect what we love” and this journey of Immersion is an attempt to create this sense of wonder:

The gallery space becomes a poetic journey through the many faces of the sea—its depths, its shores, and its surface. In 10 chapters, the exhibition explores the ocean’s environmental, societal, and emotional significance through large-scale photographs, video projections, soundscapes, and interactive installations, including VR experiences.

Some of the significant artworks in the gallery include: 

• Tidal Echoes by Nicolas Michel, a giant immersive installation that blends visual abstraction with real field recordings, aiming to capture the essence of the seaside landscape.

• Floating Cities by Elsa Mroziewicz and Cécile Palusinski, an augmented reality sound artwork that creatively investigates the impact of rising sea levels amidst global population growth, continuous sea-level rise, and threats to ecosystems.

• The Mermaid Tears’ series by Samuel Bollendorf, where the artist created a dialogue between the beauty of the seascapes and the sad reality of the plastic nanoparticles taken from the same places.

• The Plankton Ballet by Christian Sardet and Noé Sardet, an immersive film that invites the spectator to explore the drifting world of plankton, revealing cosmic prousts, frantic antipods, voluptuous pelagia and swarms of sea urchins larva.

The Mermaid Tears and the Plankton Ballet were created when the artists were on board the schooner Tara, a French sailing ship used in a series of oceanic research expeditions that welcome artists on board.

In the outdoor patio in front of the gallery, the visitor can move to the sound of the ocean drums, a percussion instrument designed to bring the soothing rhythm of the ocean waves right to your fingertips. To the left of the patio, a wall installation titled “My letter to UNOC” serves as a repository to the visitor’s wishes for a healthy and clean ocean while an ocean of plastic featuring most common human waste occupies the right of the space, creating a striking contrast between the two. These artistic installations were conceived by the creative minds of Studio Kilki, a new design agency that specializes in immersive and ecoresponsible installations.

A multitude of activities to engage with the topic of ocean protection

A cosy reading space completes this inclusive, eco-conscious space designed to educate, engage, and inspire. Whether you want to dive back into Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, explore the ocean through the lens of Indian literature—from Rudyard Kipling to Amitav Ghosh—there’s something to spark everyone’s imagination. A dedicated reading corner featuring a curated selection of ocean-themed books in French and English — ranging from timeless classics to colorful pop-up stories awaits you.

Several hands-on activities are being offered throughout the festival:

• Want to gain expertise about the challenges faced by the ocean, in a fun and collaborative way? Sign up for The Ocean Collage workshop, a serious game designed to raise awareness about oceans.

• Want to spark your creativity? Register for “The Rime of the Ocean”, an immersive poetry writing workshop by DilliPoetry on the theme of ocean and vastness – both inner and outer.

• Love sewing and want to do something socially impactful? Sign up for the SilaiWali Ocean-inspired workshop on 17 May!! You’ll not only learn the art of upcycling, but also dive into SilaiWali’s inspiring mission of eco-conscious design, refugee empowerment, and circular craft.

• All poetry lovers are invited to the Open Mic Poetry event – “Poetry from the Shores” that will take place on May 11 at 6pm featuring special performances by Delhi Poetry Slam and Dillipoetry.

• Curious about the art of upcycling? Join Plasticvala on his journey to eradicate plastic waste.

To complete the experience, short film screenings and VR experiences that let visitors interact with plankton or dive into virtual ocean expeditions are accessible at all times in the gallery.

Discussing critical issues

India is the world’s second-largest fish producer, and, yet, those who drive this sector face increasing challenges from climate change and shrinking marine resources. The exhibition “Faces of the Ocean”, curated by the French Development Agency, on view in the ground floor, sheds light on their vital role in food security, livelihoods, and climate resilience. The exhibition also highlights the Department of Fisheries’ 2024 national scheme — the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY) — aimed at fostering a more inclusive and efficient fisheries sector.

Throughout the festival, a series of conversations – in Delhi, Goa, Chennai and Pondicherry –  brings a new lens – rooted in local wisdom, interdisciplinary expertise, and lived experience.

In ‘Saving Our Seas: One Solution at a Time’ that opened the festival in Delhi on 3rd May, speakers stressed that marine conservation efforts must be place-based, inclusive, and deeply rooted in justice for the communities who depend on coastal ecosystems. Panelists also called for greater international cooperation, acknowledging the interlinked nature of our oceans.

In Goa, panels explored tourism and the blue economy through a social and ecological lens. ‘Playground or Home? Rethinking Tourism and Sport in Coastal Zones’ examined the growing tension between recreation and sustainability in fragile ecosystems. Meanwhile, Can Blue Economy and Social Justice Co-Exist? tackled one of the most pressing dilemmas of our time – how to reconcile economic development with equitable outcomes for coastal communities and environmental health. In both panels, a recurring theme emerged: development must be deeply participatory, anchored in traditional knowledge, and responsive to local contexts.

The festival continues to move along India’s coasts with debates examining the critical issues at stake such as Connected by Plastic – Humans and the Sea (Chennai, 10th May), Conserving Ocean and Marine Biodiversity (Pondicherry, 15th May) or ‘Sea Level Rise and Fragile Ecosystems: Is Coastal Planning Up to the Task?’ (Chennai, 17th May).

One highlight of the festival will be the screening of the award-winning documentary “Against the Tide” followed by the panel discussion Sustainable Seafood: Whose Job Is It, Really?’ in Delhi on 16th May. Diverse voices from across the seafood value chain – from fishers to financiers – will examine how governments, markets, communities, and consumers must collectively shape the future of our seafood systems.

Across each session, the message is clear: ocean conservation cannot be achieved in silos. It calls for collaboration, courage, and a willingness to reimagine how we relate to our coasts and communities.

A call to action 

On the opening day, a powerful youth-led panel reminded us that real progress demands listening to the generation inheriting the climate crisis, not as a token gesture, but through genuine inclusion in decision-making. Social ecologist Madhuri Mondal greeted us with an optimistic message, stating that the youth is faced with “an ocean of challenges” and “a sea of opportunities.” Climate justice advocate Ishita Dutta reminded us of the everyday struggle to make her voice heard while Environmentalist Foundation of India’s founding-trustee Arun Krishnamurthy begged the audience to take action. The panel discussion, moderated by Alliance française Delhi’s director Patricia Loison ended on the musical notes of rapper Sahir Doshi, famous for its witty social media clips engaging with wildlife creatures.

The discussion followed the screening of “Bigger Than Us”, a moving documentary following climate and justice activists from around the world, from Greece to Indonesia and from Brazil to Uganda. Other screenings included gripping environmental thriller “The Green Tide” and biopic “Becoming Cousteau”. The festival will end with the exclusive screening of “The Turtle Walker” following Indian conservationist Satish Bhaskar as he embarked on an epic journey along India’s spectacular coastlines, living alongside rare sea turtles to unravel the mysteries that surround them.

Throughout its many facets, the festival emphasizes the pressing need to get together and come up with solutions to global issues. As part of its outreach program, the festival is also collaborating with schools to organize guided visits and curated programmes.

For more information and to reach out: https://www.ifindia.in/festival-of-ideas