In the 21st century, tropical corals are experiencing unprecedented stress through global warming, as 1°C above the annual thermal maximum causes the breakdown of symbiosis with their algal symbiotic partner. This phenomenon is also known as coral bleaching because of visual change to a stark white appearance. When a coral is bleached, it cannot receive any photosynthetically derived nutrients, therefore is in a low energetic state and vulnerable to death. This project highlights the complexity of corals, as variability in bleaching and stress occurs between different coral species, their location, and previous experiences.

To address the corals’ endangered living situation under global warming, the participant and collaborator utilized two forms of glass (casted and blown) and light to represent the environments and consequences. In the first form, the unseen stress the corals are suffering from is visualized through the carbonization from extreme heat within the cremation vessels (2150 degree Fahrenheit). In the second form, the corals are encased in a glass brick (2400 degree Fahrenheit), which is an incompatible combination. The stress left the glass bricks in an unstable state, which exemplified the fragility of the bleached coral. Each coral skeleton reacted differently to the glass casting, showcasing the variability in bleaching sensitivity between species. Water-like light projection through the glass bricks represents the ocean, creating an immersive atmosphere for the beholders to experience.

“During the first conversation I had with Tracy, I explained the fundamental concepts of coral bleaching - that corals live in a fragile symbiosis with unicellular algae that provide them with a large amount of photosynthetic nutrients and that this symbiosis can be easily disrupted by temperature. Tracy immediately linked this “stress by temperature” concept to her glass work, as glass stresses due to different annealing temperatures and can be visible through light and a polarized lens. When Tracy invited me to her glass studio, I observed different student projects being created with glass - from casting with sand molds to coloring glass with pigmented chalk.”

Kevin Wong

“Initially we were going to only show the cremation vessels, however, as our experiment with the glass casted block was successful we decided on combining both glass features for our final product. We both decided on a wooden box with a light inside to illuminate both glass features. With the inspiration of a “Natural History Museum” aesthetic, we used a box with a natural stain, made “collection tags” that described where the samples were collected from, and laser engraved small wooden plaques with the species' latin name.”

- Kevin Wong

“This experience was one of the highlights of my time in graduate school. The VIS-A-THON program allowed me to think about my research in a more fundamental way that can be effectively communicated to the public audience. The collaboration between Tracy and myself was a perfect balance, as she definitely took the artistic lead while constantly communicating with me about translating the science. I hope to work with Tracy again in the future to continue this work.”

- Kevin Wong