HAMMOUR
EXPO 2020
DUBAI.
Sue Ryan was commissioned by the Dubai government to create a centre piece sculpture for ‘Hammour House’ exhibited at Expo2020.
The curated community art project brought together different segments of the community including schoolchildren, fishermen, scientists, artists and a number of institutions. The hammour is an orange spotted grouper and one of the most overfished species in the UAE. Coral reefs are its main habitat and due to the destruction of the marine eco-system, their existence is also under threat. The sculpture resulted from Ryan’s pre-Covid-19 lockdown visits to the UAE, where she had the opportunity to immerse in the natural environment, as well as engage with local fishermen.
The Hammour Fish was complemented by an ever-growing coral reef-inspired installation, created by visitors who attend art workshops as part of Expo’s community programs. The installation helped to raise awareness for the hammour fish which is now endangered. With coral reefs being the main habitat for endangered fish in the UAE, the destruction of the marine ecosystem has led to the threat of extinction for the marine species.
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