As an Artist at Sea with the Octopus Odyssey expedition of the R/V Falkor (too), Michel Droge participated in visual exploration of the deep sea, seeking to illuminate a vastly unknown and rarely seen part of our planet. During the voyage, the team witnessed the birth of baby octopus at a newly discovered deep-sea octopus nursery offshore Costa Rica, inspiring these drawings. Artists are key partners in this international art and science effort to document and share the unknown deep sea offshore Costa Rica, as art can help people make an emotional connection to the subject. Protecting the deep sea requires people to care about it, and art can inspire people to care in ways that science alone cannot.

Two Brooding Octopus watercolor and graphite on paper. (Image credit: Michel Droge)

For more information, visit: micheldroge.com

This feature appeared in Environment, Coastal & Offshore (ECO) Magazine's 2023 Deep Dive III special edition Deep-Sea Exploration, to read more access the magazine here.