Goa, 21st January 2026: From 24th to 30th January, the Museum of Goa (MOG) will host Step into the Sea, a multidisciplinary immersive installation that brings the rarely seen seaweed forests of Goa to land. The installation offers audiences a first-of-its-kind opportunity to engage with the world’s oldest marine ecosystem.
India is home to over 800 known species of seaweed, many of which grow in dense underwater forests along its coastlines. In Goa, Sargassum seaweed forests bloom periodically between November and March, playing a vital role in sustaining marine biodiversity. Despite their ecological significance, these underwater forests remain largely unknown to the public. Step into the Sea seeks to change that by translating underwater research and cinematography into a powerful, immersive sensory experience.
Conceptualised and developed by The Good Ocean and Jolchhobi Collective, the installation marks the first-ever visual documentation of India’s seaweed forests. It brings together underwater cinematography, spatial soundscapes, projection mapping, live performance and narrative to recreate the sensation of swimming through a living seaweed forest off the Goan coast.
“Seaweed forests are among our oldest living ecosystems, yet they remain largely invisible in public discourse,” says Gabriella D’Cruz, marine conservationist and founder of The Good Ocean. “This installation is an invitation to experience these underwater worlds not as abstract concepts, but as living systems that quietly support our coastline and our wellbeing.”
At the heart of the installation is underwater work led by Nefertiti Titli, filmmaker, underwater cinematographer and founder of Jolchhobi, whose practice bridges ecology, movement and film. Pruthu Parab (Echologue) who is doing the sound design, and Priyanka Yadav (Poyo) who is their creative technologist have come onboard to help execute this with their expertise in immersive technology.
“Our intention is not just to show the ocean to our audience, but to translate what it feels like to be in communication with it,” says Nefertiti Titli. “Through light, sound and movement, Step into the Sea invites audiences to slow down and encounter the ocean as an intelligent living presence that is crucial to our very existence.”
The opening night on Friday, 24th January, will feature a ticketed live solo performance by renowned guitarist Sushmit Sen (former lead guitarist and founder of Indian Ocean), marking the first public unveiling of the installation. Tickets for the opening night are available on District.
Following the opening, Step into the Sea will be open to the public free of cost from 25th to 30th January at the Museum of Goa. The week will also include a curated programme of free public sessions, including storytelling events titled The Story of Seaweed, offering deeper insight into the research, ecology and creative process behind the installation.
By situating the ocean within a museum environment, Step into the Sea creates a bridge between contemporary art, environmental research and public engagement—making marine narratives more accessible beyond academic or specialist spaces.
Step into the Sea will be on view at the Museum of Goa from 25th to 30th January 2026 from 10 AM to 6 PM. Entry is free.
Tickets are live on District: https://www.district.in/events/step-into-the-sea-jan24-2026-buy-tickets
