Social Ecology Studio

The Social Ecology Studio is an experimental arts research lab housed within the School of Art of the University of Georgia, dedicated to advancing sustainability and resilience through the arts. Capitalizing on art’s ability to interest, inform and activate its audience, the studio is piloting methodologies to engage and connect community members and policy makers with issues entrenched in social ecology. Serving as a resource hub for artists, the studio’s mission is to initiate and facilitate collaborative projects with scientific and social researchers across campus. Its aim is to develop and research methods for the arts to impact and enhance the local ecosystem, and to connect with and enrich the community.

Studio Director: Michael Marshall

Tidal Flow:

Building Experiential Data Visualization through Arts, Science, and Systems Thinking

Tidal Flow is an interdisciplinary research and arts initiative that explores the dynamic systems and cyclical changes of tidal flow along the Georgia Coast. By fostering a collaborative dialogue between the arts and sciences, the project translates complex ecological data into a multisensory gallery experience that explores tidal patterns as both scientific phenomena and metaphoric frameworks for environmental resilience.

The Experience: Sculpture, Sound, and Vision

The heart of the project is an immersive installation that brings empirical coastal datasets to life through three integrated elements:

  • Data-Driven Sculpture: A series of large-scale sculptural forms physically manifest the rhythmic undulation of the tides. These structures translate the frequency and amplitude of tidal cycles into a tactile, spatial experience.

  • Choral Soundscape: This spatialized auditory environment features a sonification of tidal data performed by a choir. In a unique parallel to the environment, the physiological breath of the performers mimics the rise and fall of the tide. Each voice is recorded individually and broadcast through a distributed speaker array, allowing you to walk through the gallery and hear both the intimacy of a single voice and the collective resonance of the entire ensemble..

  • Immersive Media: High-definition video and photography of the Georgia coastal ecosystem are projected throughout the space, grounding the abstract data in the lived reality of the Atlantic coastline.

An Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Supported by a University of Georgia Teaming for Interdisciplinary Research (TIR) Pre-Seed grant, this project is led by Michael Marshall (Social Ecology Studio) and artist Maria Artemis. Our team brings together experts from Marine Sciences, Geography, Music, and Mathematics to investigate how the arts can serve as a communicative bridge for scientific research. By merging geospatial technology with innovative new music and sculpture, we aim to offer new ways for the public to engage with the emotional and scientific dimensions of climate change.

Tidal Flow is currently in its conceptual development phase, with a full-scale exhibition scheduled to debut in February 2027.