Mangroves from the Water: Our Recent Exhibition

On June 14, 2026June 16, 2026 By Dr. Zahidah Zeytoun MillieLeave a comment

Mangroves from the Water (MFTW) Exhibition 24 April-3May 2026

Mangroves from the Water (MFTW) is a socially engaged multimedia art project and environmental campaign developed in collaboration with participating international artists and scientists. Initiated in the United Arab Emirates in 2014, the project has evolved over the past twelve years, encouraging new ways of seeing and understanding mangrove environments through multidisciplinary artistic practice and community engagement. The project also formed the foundation of Dr Zahidah Zeytoun Millie’s PhD research in Communication and Creative Arts, completed at Deakin University in 2025.

The most recent exhibition opened on 24 April 2026 at Barwon Heads Arts Hub and was partially supported by the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CCMA). It brought together Zahidah Zeytoun Millie’s watercolour sketches created from a kayak within the mangroves of the Barwon Estuary research site, alongside glass sculptures and acrylic paintings developed through five years of observing a single tree. These works were brought to life through choreography by Jacqui Dreessens and music composed by Demir Aliu. The exhibition also featured immersive works created in collaboration with Jacqui Dreessens and sound artist Pratyay Raha, a PhD candidate at RMIT University, Melbourne, together with a poem recited by Dr Diane Faye. Contributions by Year 5 students from Barwon Heads Primary School further enriched the exhibition. Collectively, these works sought to reconnect local audiences with the beauty and ecological significance of the surrounding mangrove environments.

Selected views of the MFTW exhibition, featuring works by Zahidah Zeytoun Millie and Pratyay Raha

Through artist-led engagement, a guided walk and talk with Jock Mackenzie from MangroveWatch and Rob Bone from the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, together with opening events incorporating artistic performance, the exhibition created opportunities for meaningful dialogue between art, science, and community. Local audiences gathered to learn about the environmental importance of mangroves and their role within local ecosystems.

At its core, Mangroves from the Water seeks to cultivate ecological awareness and foster deeper connections between people and environments that have historically been overlooked, misunderstood, or culturally marginalised.

A view of Seed of Life, cast glass sculptures by Zahidah Zeytoun Millie, based on the form of mangrove propagules.

A selection of photographs by Jacqueline Dreessens documenting Dancing in the Echelons: Finding Heritage in a Mangrove Ecosystem, a dance performance and short film.

Dance performance by Jacqui Dreessens, with music by musician Damir Aliu

Poetry by Dr. Diane Faye

Announcement! : Two workshops by one of MFTW’s artists, Jacqui Dreessens.

On January 27, 2023January 27, 2023 By Stephanie Neville1 Comment

Announcement for two workshops by one of MFTW’s inspiring artists, Jacqui Dreessens.

Kayak, Mangroves, Poetry

Do you like kayaking? Ever written poetry? Have you ever seen the mangrove forest on Wadawurrung Country between Barwon Heads and Ocean Grove? Come and witness first hand this incredible ecosystem that clears the water and puts oxygen in the air for all of us Beings to breathe. So hardy and yet so fragile. A different World awaits from the Water.

This is Part A of an exciting afternoon/evening: 4pm-6pm. Where the River meets the Sea – Kayak, Mangroves, Poetry

To find out more please open the link

Full Moon Dance

Park B – is a dance making workshop under the Full Moon: 7-10pm – Where the Moonahs meet the Mangroves.

https://www.trybooking.com/CFMZV

Nicola Cerini tells her mangrove discovery story

On June 30, 2021July 2, 2021 By Stephanie NevilleLeave a comment

In the build up to our upcoming exhibition (26 July!), we check in with some of our participating artists on how they are preparing their works.

This story from Nicola Cerini about her inspiration and work process is particularly enjoyable:

— “The work was inspired by a couple of fun kayaking trips through the Mangroves at Barwon Heads in Victoria with all the artists in 2019 and 2020 arranged by the curator Zahidah. Despite getting pretty wet in my leaky kid-size kayak on my first trip I went back for more. On the next trip in a grown-up sized kayak I managed to take lots of photos which helped me decide how I wanted to represent what I’d seen. It’s such a unique ecosystem down there in the Mangroves. I had no idea the Barwon Heads Mangroves were there until I became involved in this project. In my early twenties I spent some time on Lizard Island in far north Queensland and also on the mainland and was fascinated by these murky mysterious landscapes that came and went with the tide. I’d always associated Mangroves with a tropical climate so it was exciting to find that we had our own cold climate Mangroves very close to home.

I was drawn to the various textures and layers from the water, up through the muddy root systems that almost reached the low lying branches of the large Mangrove trees. There were beautiful light spaces filtering through the branches often creating silhouettes and bands of horizontal colours in the distance representing the sky and banks of green brackish friendly plants. The contrast of the solid ancient Mangrove trunks against the delicate leaf and flower silhouettes was striking. Looking into these landscapes was like exploring a new world, exciting!

My work will be printed on linen and there will be two pieces, both 1.4 x 2m.–