Forager Species 4 in Santa Cruz

About Forage Species IV The objective of Forage Species IV is to give learners and our community a deeper perspective on critical ‘feeder species’ in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS). Learners will help the artist model a life-sized school of Pacific Sardines (Sardinops sagax) using their hands and imagination to capture the kinetic movement and schooling dynamics of one of the most vital keystone species in the ocean. In the background, learners will also explore visual presentations on the historical sardine fishery in Monterey Bay, climate-driven migration shifts, and the profound effects on marine life including seabirds, pinnipeds, dolphins, and whales. STEM into STEAM: Four-Part Lobby Sculpture Build Forage IV is a collaborative four-part build for a major hanging sculpture suspended from the ceiling halo in the main lobby of The 418 Project. Each day will focus on building the piece, shaping the fish, and discussing the ecological relationships of forage species. Learners will be asked to write up their takeaways from the build once it is completed. Texturing 560 Pacific Sardines made of light aluminum, using hammers and specialty tools to shape the individual fish. Creating the wire armature that will shape and hold the swirling school. Hanging the sculpture from the halo suspended from the ceiling of the main lobby. Through a STEAM approach (combining Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math), students work in focused collaborative teams: Texture Teams: Hammering organic contours and light-catching features onto nearly 600 aluminum sardines, crafting the distinct personality of each fish. Wire Teams: Working the structural wire armature and attaching the fish to the lead wire matrix that becomes the sculpture itself. Hang Teams: Assisting the artist in suspending and securing the armature from the lobby fixture.