Sidney Regis is a free-diving champion and the creator of a collaborative artistic project called “We Were Water and Air”. The project “We Were Water and Air” brings together Art and Action to raise awareness around a major concern, air, and water preservation. Hold your breath and get to know more about this amazing multitask Ocean Innovator and his artwork for air and water preservation!
Air and water preservation is at stake for peace and equality
Air and water are necessary to Life. The 5th risk factor responsible for pollution-related diseases is air pollution. The water we drink can be polluted by anthropogenic contaminants such as domestic wastes. The rights to access water resources differ from a country to another. While we do not want to see privatisation and marketing around clean and safe water resources, no universal rules or solutions exist yet. Prevention around air and water preservation remains a key towards maintaining peace and equality in the world regarding access to water. In this context, using universal languages is crucial. This is how, now, more than ever, the work of artists such as Sidney Regis is critical!
“We Were Water & Air” is an artistic project of several branches
“We Were Water and Air” is an artistic project which aims at reconnecting people to the vital elements of air and water. To support his actions, Sidney Regis co-founded the Breath Ocean Foundation and created strong and diverse symbols. Then, Sidney Regis used visualisations through multiple media such as sculptures, photography, and films to raise awareness and encourage everyone to take action. Therefore, for “We Were Water and Air”, the team interviewed people from all over the world about air and water. Participants also experienced a symbolic 1-minute recorded free-diving. Besides, Sidney Regis created a synergy between his sculptures and coral preservation. Altogether, this environmental advocate reconnects individuals and communities to air and water via art.
“Through all my art work and actions I aim to embrace the complexity of the ocean conservation” Sidney Regis told us.
The Hydrohecadron structure to conceptualize Air and Water and to grow corals
Sidney Regis conceptualised Air and Water with the Hydrohecadron structure, HoH. The Plato solids inspired the HoH structure. Based on these, an Octahedron represents Air while an Icosahedron represents Water. HoH is the combination of both. Then, the artist displays the HoH structure in various natural landscapes using photography. This artwork emphasises air and water ubiquity. Moreover, once immersed, the symbolic HoH becomes a great structure for supporting the growth of endangered coral species. Since July 2020, corals located in the waters of the French Caribbean Island of Martinique propagate on the HoH structure. This successful initiative was brought to life in collaboration with the association “ASSO-MER”. It highlights the link which exists between art and environmental preservation.
Sidney Regis’ wish for the next 5 years is clear: “The Hydrocahedron becomes a worldwide recognise symbol and pledge of social- action – art engagement of the protection and awareness about Nature“.
Holding your breath to experience our need to preserve air… and oceans
Marine life produces between 50 to 75% of the dioxygen we breathe. Sidney Regis and his team questioned more than 2000 persons all around the world about their relationship to water and air. Then, as a symbolic action, “We Were Water and Air” asked the participants to hold their breath for up to 1 minute. Sidney Regis told us that this simple experience had led to major changes in some participant habits. Some switched towards using more solar energy in their daily lives, for instance. Altogether, the result of this work is an experimental movie connecting people from all backgrounds, countries and cultures together, to air and oceans.
“ Without oceans, without air, there is no life on Earth, to pollute them, is to condemned all of us” Sidney Regis said to us.
A free-diving champion to help monitor turtle populations in the French Caribbeans
For more than 10 years, Sidney Redis worked together with researchers of the CNRS to protect turtles in the French Caribbean Martinique island. For protection and conservation biology purposes, they captured turtles and equipped them with cameras. This allows them to better track their movements and to determine relevant areas to protect. As a free-diving champion, Sidney Regis uses his incredible skills to approach and catch turtles with minimum stress for the animal.
How to help the Breath Ocean Foundation?
First, spread the word about the We Were Water and Air project! Then, hold your breath, film yourself and share the video using the hashtag #OneBreathForEarth !
The Breath Ocean Foundation needs your talent as community manager or web-developers to promote their art work! The Breath Ocean Foundation also needs exhibition spaces to show the art projects of “We Were Water and Air”!
Sidney Regis is keen on setting more Hydrocahedron to grow corals all around the world!
Sponsoring – Help Sidney Regis to fund the next steps of his project!
“Everything is connected,” Sidney Regis said, if you are interested, get in touch with Sidney, send him a message!