In a landmark moment for ocean protection, the High Seas Treaty enters into force on 17th January 2026, the most significant global environmental agreement since the 2015 Paris Climate Accord. Greenpeace coordinated a global campaign to mark the moment, the UK contribution for which I painted in St Leonards, East Sussex.

"Much of my recent work explores the tension between nature and the inherited Victorian systems which continue to govern the UK. These systems seem more concerned with tradition than progress, with profit over planet.

The focus is a message in a bottle, widely understood as an act of desperation and devotion; thrown into the sea in the hope of finding help before it’s too late. Here, the bottle has sunk and is filling with water. Often, news about the environment is paired with the language of “last chance”. In this case, that last chance is being held up by red tape.

Among the ocean flora and wildlife, I’ve also included visual motifs that recur throughout my work. One of these is the oyster: a symbol of hidden value and uncertainty, drawn from Lewis Carroll’s The Walrus and the Carpenter. The Victorian poem tells the story of the young oysters, offered the illusion of choice while their fate is sealed regardless. This is about more than just the ocean, it’s about systems of power: what is protected, what is exploited, and what is ultimately sacrificed"

The project unites artists, Indigenous Peoples, activists, and local communities from 13 countries across five continents representing every ocean. The piece signals a final call to action for the UK government to sign the treaty, joining the 81 nations including China, France, Japan, Spain, Mexico and Brazil who have already done so.

Currently 0.9% of the High Seas is fully or highly protected, and for the first time, the treaty provides the legal tools to create High Seas sanctuaries that will help mitigate the climate crisis, halt biodiversity collapse, and safeguard food security for the billions who depend on the ocean. The action also marks the beginning of a crucial countdown to protect 30% of the world’s ocean by 2030 and comes in advance of the world first Ocean COP (conference of the parties) which will launch later this year. 

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