The Brooklyn Museum PresentsOliver Jeffers: Life at Sea

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
The interactive exhibition, opening in the museum S
Education Center invites visitors of all ages into an
illustrated seascape inspired byone of Oliver Jeffers S beloved
children S books. This fall, the Brooklyn Museum
will open Oliver Jeffers Life atSea in the Toby Devon Lewis

(00:20):
Education Center, transporting visitors into the whimsical
world of Jeffers S best selling 2017 children S book.
Here we are notes for a living on planet earth philomel books.
The exhibition features an underwater world that begins
when the show first opens as sparsely populated.

(00:42):
Over the course of the presentation, visitors will
bring this ocean to life by creating and adding sea
creatures to imagine an abundantfuture.
Life at Sea opens on September 19th, 2025 and will be on view
until April 26th, 2026. Based in Belfast, Northern

(01:04):
Ireland and Brooklyn, Oliver Jeffers is an award-winning
artist, illustrator, and writer who uses storytelling to
advocate for the environment. His first nonfiction book, Here
We Are Notes for a Living on Planet Earth, was written as a
guide for his newborn son on howto navigate the world with
kindness and an appreciation forthe world around him.

(01:27):
Grounded in Jeffers S signature humor and playfulness.
His Brooklyn Museum exhibition similarly prompts visitors to
explore their relationship with the Earth and the climate, this
time by collaboratively creatingan ocean environment.
Through the run of the exhibition, visitors of all ages
will decorate and install fish and other sea creatures

(01:49):
throughout the underwater landscape.
During drop in activities, attendees are invited to build
coral structures using recycled sea plastics to populate the
gallery S ocean floor through many kinds of community
interactions. The deep blue oceanic mural,
specially designed by Jeffers for the Education Center, will

(02:10):
transform from a lonely expanse into a vibrant Biome full of sea
life. The site specific installation
will include a sunken ship inspired reading look with a
selection of books chosen by Jeffers featuring writers who
inspire imaginative thinking about the importance of caring
for the environment. In addition, the museum S

(02:32):
education team will host a series of creative workshops
throughout the run of the exhibition.
These workshops will focus on topics such as learning about
different types of fish and birds, as well as the reuse of
single use plastics. We're thrilled to be working
with Oliver Jeffers to bring hisdistinctive approach to art and
storytelling into our galleries and to engage visitors on this

(02:55):
timely topic, says Sharon Matt Atkins, Deputy director for Art.
His invitation to consider how we can care for our planet
together, along with the opportunity for collective
creativity and play, will spark joy and hope for all who visit.
I first showed a painting at theBrooklyn Museum over a decade

(03:17):
ago, and I've hoped to return ever since, says Jeffers.
Life at Sea is that return, and it's more than an installation,
it's an invitation. By building this underwater
world together, visitor by visitor, we're imagining what
communities can do when they collaborate.
It's about the oceans, yes, but also about fun, beauty, hope and

(03:42):
how the stories we shape might shape the future.
I'm grateful to be doing this with the national institution
that shares the values and beliefs that I do.
Visitors can enhance their experience of Life at sea with
the museum as Member Kids Club, a brand new membership add on
designed specifically for families with children.

(04:03):
Available to both current and new members, Kids Club grants
access to the museum S monthly family focused programming
featuring hands on art making, guided tours and other
interactive experiences tailoredto children and their
caregivers. Kids Club members receive an
exclusive welcome bundle that includes an activity sheet

(04:24):
inspired by Jeffers S storytelling, a junior
membership card designed by Jeffers, and a specially
designed merchandise item. Known for his whimsical
illustrations and children S books, Jeffers incorporates
painting, bookmaking, illustration, collage,
performance, and sculpture to tell stories that spark dialogue

(04:46):
about our changing world. Following his beloved debut, How
to Catch a Star, Philamel Books 2004, Jeffers has written and
illustrated a collection of award-winning and best selling
picture books that have been translated into over 49
languages. He is also an internationally

(05:06):
recognized painter and sculptor.Beyond his artistic endeavors,
Jeffers uses his platform to advocate for collective action
aimed at preserving and nurturing our planet.
He has spoken on prominent global stages, including 26
Colombian Pesos, Ted, and the Clinton Global Initiative.

(05:28):
By telling stories with creativity and humor, Jeffers
inspires audiences of all ages to see the world from new
perspectives and consider their role in shaping its future.
Oliver Jeffers Life at Sea is the 2nd special exhibition
hosted in the Education Center since its renovation was
completed in 2024. The Education Center S inaugural

(05:52):
project Heartland and installation by Duho SU and
children welcomed visitors that same year.
Oliver Jeffers Life at Sea is organized by Sharon Matt Atkins,
deputy director for art, and Kiana Hendrick, deputy director
for learning and Social Impact. About the Brooklyn Museum For

(06:15):
200 years, the Brooklyn Museum has been recognized as a
trailblazer through a vast arrayof exhibitions, public programs
and community centered initiatives.
It continues to broaden the narratives of art, uplift a
multitude of voices, and center creative expression within
important dialogues of the day. Housed in a landmark building in

(06:38):
the heart of Brooklyn, the museum is home to an astounding
encyclopedic collection of more than 140,000 objects
representing cultures worldwide and over 6000 years of history,
from ancient Egyptian masterpieces to significant
American works to groundbreakinginstallations presented in the
only feminist Arts Center of itskind.

(07:00):
As one of the oldest and largestart museums in the country, the
Brooklyn Museum remains committed to innovation,
creating compelling experiences for its communities and
celebrating the power of art to inspire awe, conversation, and
joy.