The Sea Is Mine
“The Sea Is Mine” is a visual documentation and esthetical exploration rooted in the Kerkennah Islands off the eastern coast of Tunisia. Through photography and video montage, the project aims to capture the profound impact of climate change on this vulnerable archipelago and its inhabitants. It seeks to peel back the layers of Kerkennah’s seemingly idyllic surface. By documenting the islanders’ struggles and adaptations, the project offers a window into a community on the front lines of climate change.
Climate change has cast a long shadow over Kerkennah. The islands last saw proper rainfall years ago, leading to severe water scarcity and increased salinity in the groundwater. Local waterworks report salt levels of 3.5 grams per liter, which is far too saline for agriculture. As a result, the once-fertile soils that supported wheat, date palms, and grapevines have become too salty, leaving trees withered and crops failing.
Stretching 30 kilometers in length and 5 kilometers in width, with the highest point reaching just 13 meters above sea level, these low-lying islands are particularly susceptible to rising sea levels. “The Sea Is Mine” serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for action, as Kerkennah faces the possibility of becoming one of the first Mediterranean islands to succumb to rising sea levels, potentially disappearing beneath the waves by 2030.
The art project reflects the complex relationship between the islanders and their marine environment. Once a source of sustenance and a living heritage, the sea has become both a blessing and a curse. For the younger generation, it represents a pathway to an ideal future, while the older residents watch in dismay as pollution and maritime desertification take hold.
Through its visual narrative, the project captures the physical changes to the landscape and explores the social and cultural implications of this environmental crisis. It stands as a testament to the resilience of the Kerkennah people and a call to action for the wider world to address the pressing issues of climate change and environmental degradation.
BACKGROUND
Ghassen Chraifa is a Tunisian visual artist and architect. He has taken part in a number of artistic and cinematographic projects both nationally and internationally.
EXHIBITIONS / PROJECTS
2022 Tunis (tn), JAOU Photo
2021 Gabes (tn), GCFEN
2020 Tunis (tn), B7L9 Art Station
STUDIES
2013 — 2020 Sid Bou Said (tn), National School of Architecture and Urbanism: Diploma
2011 — 2012 Tunis (tn), Higher Institut of Fine Arts: Design Studies
BIO
Lives in la Marsa.
LINKS
Instagram @ghassenchraifa