Folkestone Triennial featuring Jennifer Tee: Folkestone, UK

The shore is where land and sea have met since the very beginning of life on Earth. Inspired by Rachel Carson’s The Edge of the Sea, Oceans Tree of Life explores this ancient meeting place through the story of underwater kelp forests – living links between the past and present.

This sculptural installation sits on the grassy cliffs of Folkestone, looking out over the sea. It’s made from hand-formed bricks arranged in a flowing pattern that echoes the way kelp sways in the ocean currents. The bricks carry colours drawn from the local chalk cliffs and the natural greens and browns of kelp. Some bricks are imprinted with shapes of kelp, sea creatures, and fossils like ammonites, connecting today’s marine life with Earth’s deep history.

A few bricks shine with fused sea glass in bright reds, oranges, yellows, and blues. These give parts of the sculpture a fossilised, crystal-like glow – as if ancient ocean stories are surfacing through time.

Kelp forests are vital but often overlooked. They absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide and provide homes for many sea creatures, from tiny animals to large mammals. Found on rocky coasts like ours, kelp forests are symbols of strength and resilience, bending and bouncing with the powerful forces of the sea.

Oceans Tree of Life invites us to reflect on our shared ecological origins and the ongoing life beneath the waves.