Exhibition Contributors:
Curator:
Derek Tan
Designer:
Derek Tan
Scientific Advisor:
Sheila Byers
Education Advisor:
Paige Smallman
Beneath the Emerald Green Waves by Antonio Hou
June 15 – October 29, 2023
The ocean looks cold, deep, and dark from above the surface. If you are brave enough for a cold dip underwater wearing an astronaut-like dry suit, you will soon find a wonderland beneath the emerald green waves of the Pacific Northwest.
In this mysterious underwater world, height and gravity are no longer barriers. You can explore the shallow desert-like barrens in search of Pacific spiny lumpsuckers hiding on abandoned mooring lines, or venture deeper to visit a zoanthid gallery with a giant lingcod. You can play peek-a-boo with the locals living in sponges or venture beyond recreational limits in search of Gorgonian coral reefs. And no matter where you go, you’re free of weight; as if everything is moving in slow motion until a group of playful sea lions swiftly dash past you… or you run low on air.
Bio
Antonio Hou is a Master’s student at UBC in the Animal Welfare Program at the Faculty of Land and Food Systems. On land, he spends most of his time helping animals in shelters find their forever homes and improving their welfare in kennel environments. In the ocean, Antonio enjoys guiding people at local dive sites around Metro Vancouver as a divemaster. Since he started cold-water diving in 2021, Antonio has spent over 200 hours beneath the surface, capturing unique moments underwater with his camera.
Visit Antonio’s Instagram!