An upcoming exhibition in Texas is bringing the underwater world into a gallery setting, combining marine research, diving experience and contemporary art to highlight the beauty and fragility of the ocean.
“Magic Water,” a solo exhibition by interdisciplinary artist and diver Janavi Mahimtura Folmsbee, will run from April 18 through June 7 at the Rockport Center for the Arts in Rockport, Texas. A public opening reception is scheduled for May 9 from 5 to 7 p.m.
The exhibition is one of the most ambitious presentations of the artist’s work to date. It features 178 components across four large wall installations, drawing together years of creative exploration and marine field research. Visitors will encounter a diverse mix of porcelain sculptures, underwater photography, oil paintings, mixed-media works and nine large-scale vinyl prints, all designed to immerse viewers in the patterns, movement and life of the ocean.
A Career Milestone for the Artist
For Mahimtura Folmsbee, the exhibition represents a turning point in her career. While she has produced major public art commissions in the past, “Magic Water” brings her ocean-focused work together in a concentrated gallery setting for the first time.
The exhibition presents the most comprehensive expression of her research-driven artistic practice so far, translating scientific observation and diving experiences into visual storytelling.
Her work draws inspiration from marine ecosystems around the world, including coral gardens in the Gulf of Mexico, reef systems in the Coral Triangle near Wakatobi, the Blue Mountain coral reefs of the Red Sea in Egypt, tide pools along the Olympic Coast, and coastal waters around Mumbai and South Africa.
“These experiences shape how I see and translate these wonders into art, as both witness and participant in a vast interconnected system,” Mahimtura Folmsbee said.
During field research dives, she gathers imagery, observations and environmental data which later become the foundation for her artistic work. The material eventually transforms into paintings, lenticular pieces, sculptures and immersive installations.
In her view, water itself plays an active role in the creative process.
“Water functions within this exhibition not simply as subject matter but as collaborator, mirror and archive,” she said.
Exploring the Intelligence of Ocean Ecosystems
At the heart of the exhibition is an exploration of biodiversity in reef ecosystems and the interconnected relationships that sustain them.
Mahimtura Folmsbee’s work examines species that play a critical role in reef development, including coralline algae, a foundational organism that helps reefs grow and maintain structural stability.
Through visual study and artistic interpretation, she highlights how these ecosystems function as complex networks where species depend on one another for survival.
She describes this underlying connection as the “magic” within water, a force that links marine life, coastal communities and cultures around the world.
Diving as Creative Inspiration
Mahimtura Folmsbee began scuba diving in 2007, an experience that profoundly shaped both her artistic vision and her relationship with the ocean.
“When I dive, I am one with my breath invited into a world of pure beauty, where I am not judged but just encouraged to view and experience,” she explained.
Her goal is to recreate that sense of quiet immersion and awareness for viewers on land.
“The work I create is uplifting, educational, color-driven and extremely immersive,” she said. “I believe that with art, awareness and beauty, we as humans can do so much for our oceans and world.”
She also sees art as a way to document marine environments at a critical moment in time.
“It is an important time to catalogue the current thriving marine world to understand how we can reverse anthropogenic changes,” she said.
Bridging Art and Marine Science
Born and raised in Mumbai in a home overlooking the Indian Ocean, Mahimtura Folmsbee now lives in Houston and has built an international reputation as an artist working at the intersection of art and marine science.
A graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, she has exhibited globally and her work appears in private and foundation collections across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia.
Her projects often combine creative practice with scientific collaboration. She has worked alongside marine biologists, conservation organizations and research institutions to translate ocean science into accessible visual experiences.
Among her most visible works is the Aquarius Art Tunnel at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, a monumental installation endorsed by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and recipient of the 2023 CODAworx People’s Choice Award.
Her collaborations have included work with organizations such as the Galveston Bay Foundation, Rice University’s Correa Lab, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Coral Restoration Foundation. Her artwork has also been featured in scientific publications including the Global Change Journal.
Art as Ocean Advocacy
Beyond aesthetics, Mahimtura Folmsbee’s work is deeply rooted in marine conservation.
She believes art can serve as a powerful tool to increase awareness about the health of the oceans and the urgency of protecting marine ecosystems.
“Magic Water reflects my belief that beauty can serve as an instrument for awareness and healing,” she said. “In this exhibition, I hope to remind viewers that the ocean’s story is our own, that within its depths lies both the memory of the past and the promise of renewal.”
By combining scientific insight with artistic expression, the exhibition aims to encourage audiences to see the ocean not only as a source of beauty but as a shared global responsibility.
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