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

Mangroves from the Water 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.

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.