The Art of Nature

The Art of Nature

With its power to transcend the written language, art can be a powerful tool for conservation. The Trust is hoping to harness that with a series of marine wildlife-inspired art projects to celebrate and safeguard the Solent.

The Wildlife Trusts have recognised that, for nature to recover, it needs more people on its side. Art can inspire this support by acting as a bridge that connects people with wildlife – and when it comes to the marine environment, which is typically harder to access, this becomes even more important.

So, in 2021, as part of its Secrets of the Solent project, the Trust commissioned renowned street artist ATM to create a series of murals to highlight our region’s incredible marine biodiversity in urban areas.

The Solent, a lively 20-mile stretch of water, is home to extraordinary wildlife and diverse habitats. Seagrass meadows, chalk reefs and rocky sponge gardens are home to species such as sharks, seals, dolphins, seahorses, anemones, sea squirts and cuttlefi sh.

Though millions of people enjoy it every year, very few get to encounter the spectacular marine life concealed beneath the Solent’s waves or appreciate just how important it is.

Through Secrets of the Solent, which is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Trust hopes to bring this underwater world to life through art and interpretation. In revealing the Solent’s hidden natural treasures, we aim to inspire people to help protect these waters for generations to come.

The first of ATM’s artworks was completed just over a year ago. A further five murals have since appeared across our two counties, each showcasing a different, charismatic Solent species.

Each hand-painted mural took the London-based street artist, who has a lifelong love of nature, up to four days to complete.

The murals have sparked huge interest among local communities. Even before ATM picked up his paintbrush, over 800 people got involved by voting online to decide which marine species the artist should paint at each location.

Then, during the painting process and following its completion, people continued to interact by sharing photos and videos of the art on social media and contacting the Trust.

We hope each mural will become a landmark in its respective location, inspiring locals and visitors to celebrate and learn more about the Solent’s wonderful wildlife.

1. Lobster, River Hamble Harbour Office, Warsash

This striking lobster adorns the harbour office near Warsash and was the last of ATM’s six paintings, completed this May. Common lobsters are naturally blue in colour, only turning bright red when cooked.

2. Short-snouted seahorse, Ocean Village, Southampton

Found in shallow waters and often among seagrass meadows, this is one of two UK seahorse species. The enormous mural, which ATM completed in April this year, is painted on the Ocean Village car park.

3. Spiny seahorse, Isle of Wight Distillery, Ryde

This special mural celebrates both a rare marine animal and its internationally important coastal habitat, seagrass. Spiny seahorses, also known as long-snouted seahorses, anchor themselves to seagrass leaf blades using their prehensile tail.

4. Thresher shark, Langstone Harbour Office Building, Hayling Island

These mysterious ocean predators visit the Isle of Wight’s east coast every summer. The large, migratory sharks use their huge whip-like tail, which can be as long as their body, to stun their prey.

5. Harbour seal, Lord Louis Library, Newport

Painted on the wall adjacent to Newport’s library, the harbour seal is clearly a popular marine mammal. ATM said this painting attracted more public engagement than any other mural he has ever created.

6. Spider crab, Hythe Pier, Southampton

This orange, spindly-legged crustacean was ATM’s fi rst mural of the series, completed in June 2021. The artist included some green algae, which the animal uses for camouflage, on the crab’s back to ‘make it look alive’.

Other conservation art projects

ATM’s murals are not the only way Secrets of the Solent has explored using art to engage people with nature. Previously, our Weave-A-Fish project saw local crafters send us knitted marine species to display at various Trust exhibitions and events, while our immersive litter sculpture at Portsmouth Museum – in collaboration with artist Trudi Lloyd Williams - helped raise awareness of how plastic pollution threatens our seas.

Looking ahead, this autumn we’re launching a photography exhibition, Lives of the Solent, to share stories of people whose work has been inspired and shaped by our incredible marine environment. We’ll also work with artist Hannah Horn on Mapping the Solent, a project involving communities helping to create six giant ‘puzzle piece’ murals. Each mural will depict a unique part of the Solent and will be installed around Hampshire and the Isle of Wight during National Marine Week from 24 July. Learn more about these projects at: hiwwt.org.uk/secrets-of-the-solent

The Trust thanks the National Lottery Heritage Fund for supporting Secrets of the Solent, the project would not be possible otherwise.