Approaching this journey with an open mind, I am eager to embrace whatever comes my way, be it surprises, shocks, or lessons. I look forward to immersing myself in the daily lives of the Marshallese people, witnessing their reality, hearing their stories, and feeling their struggles. My hope is to translate this profound experience into a vision that will resonate with people, impressing upon them that the fate that awaits the Marshall Islands may reach their own doorstep.

In 2006, I had the opportunity to create an installation called 'Come Hell and High Water' for the World Summit of Arts and Culture in Newcastle/Gateshead. It was a significant event for me as it coincided with Cape Farewell's exhibition showcasing the work of artists who had participated in their renowned expeditions to the Arctic. Witnessing artists and scientists collaborating to bring attention to the reality of climate change firsthand left a profound impact on me. At that time, the concept of global warming seemed distant and abstract, making my installation of semi-submerged cars appear rather tame compared to recent climate-related events in neighbouring countries like Germany and Italy.

It wasn't until COP 21 in Paris that I had the opportunity to meet David Buckland. During a monotonous session filled with self-congratulatory speeches by French politicians, David and I, along with a few other rebellious artists, decided to escape to a small bistro for dinner. Later, I informed David about my need to document my installation 'L'eau Qui Dort' in Parc de la Villette, located in the northern part of Paris. Despite the late hour, David expressed interest in seeing the work, and we headed there after midnight.

David, who served on the board of Climart, a European project led by environmental scientists in Norway, shared with me their mission to explore whether visual art could influence people's perceptions of climate change. I was honored to be selected by Climart to create an artwork that could be extensively studied. The result was 'Pollution Pods,' an installation that traveled globally to cultural institutions and climate summits after its debut in Norway under the guidance of Cape Farewell. While this journey was exciting, I couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia for the artist expeditions I had never been a part of.

When David mentioned the upcoming trip to the Marshall Islands, it felt like a perfect opportunity to join a collective endeavor focused on exploring the very issues that have been central to my artistic practice for decades. Since my project 'Plunge,' where I marked the projected sea level on monuments in central London using illuminated blue lines, I have been deeply concerned with how we will confront the impacts of shrinking landmasses. Nowhere is this more critical than in the Marshall Islands. Experiencing these challenges firsthand is crucial for an artist. It is only through direct exposure that one can transition from abstract and intellectual understanding to something tangible and emotional.

Approaching this journey with an open mind, I am eager to embrace whatever comes my way, be it surprises, shocks, or lessons. I look forward to immersing myself in the daily lives of the Marshallese people, witnessing their reality, hearing their stories, and feeling their struggles. My hope is to translate this profound experience into a vision that will resonate with people, impressing upon them that the fate that awaits the Marshall Islands may reach their own doorstep.