Ocean Lifeline Launches: Silent Art Auction and Guerrilla Campaign Launch Party for Our Sharks in New York.

Our mission at Ocean Lifeline (OLL) is to spread awareness about the adverse effects humans can have on the oceans.

Join us at The Keeley Gallery on September 15th as we launch OLL’s next initiative on the heels of Fashion Week and Quicksilver Pro New York. Having just completed a campaign in which we projected videos throughout Manhattan, educating the public on the plastic crisis affecting our oceans, on Thursday evening, we will celebrate the launch of our new guerrilla marketing campaign which seeks to curb the distribution and sale of shark fin products.

Founder of Ocean Lifeline, Cynthia Carvajal began filming a documentary on the shark finning and plastic crisis in Hawaii. Hawaii was the first state to ban the sale and distribution of all shark fin products such as shark fin soup. States such as Oregon and California followed Hawaii’s lead to save our sharks.

“It is the time for New York to propose a bill to stop the sale and distribution of all shark fin products” says Ms Carvajal, “there are 41 restaurants in New York that serve shark fin soup and hundreds to thousands of fins are sold for $80 to $500 in China Town.” Ocean Lifeline’s campaign strategy is to use art to reach out to the consumer, spreading awareness on the adverse health affects of consuming high levels of toxic methyl-mercury.

I talk to people on a daily basis who have no idea or have never heard about issues such as shark finning, the plastic crisis, the near extinction of blue fin tuna, the dolphin killings in Japan and dolphins in captivity.

I have taken my experience working in the fashion industry to use for the good. I understand how powerful imagery can convey an idea or message to the general public. Our mission is to “captivate the public in marine life through the creation of powerful imagery.” Powerful imagery can be created through various forms of art such as photography, video, projections, paintings, sculpture and even performance art.

I plan on doing a fire show for the art event because to me, fire represents how elements in nature are all instrumental in keeping the balance whole. We need clean air, clean water and clean energy/fire to live. I want to spread the message that by offsetting the balance in our oceans such as killing 100 million sharks a year for their fins is like removing one of our elements such as fire. We need our sharks in our oceans to maintain a healthy balance.

There is too much waste and exploitation for profit in the oceans. One whale is sold for a million dollars, one hammerhead shark is sold for 10k and one dolphin is sold to a marine park for $100,000. The status of eating a $100 bowl of shark fin soup is not worth the expense and toll it takes on the environment.

Ocean Lifeline is sensitive to cultural traditions and survival communities. I strongly feel that there is no humane way to kill a shark, dolphin or whale. Many times the still living shark is dumped back still alive into the ocean. When it comes down to it, the shark fin, whaling and marine park industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. There is a lot of money involved and the only way to make any change is to change the minds of the consumer.

Our mission at OLL is to present images to the consumer, so the issues such as the plastic crisis and shark finning are not “out of sight, out of mind”. We plan to launch our controversial guerilla marketing campaign on September 15th. There are 41 restaurants in New York that serve shark fin soup. We are sending invites to these restaurant owners for open communication. ~ Cynthia Carvajal

This event will feature a silent auction of ocean themed works by artists with fine art shipped in from Hawaii, Canada, The United Kingdom, California, Colorado and New York . Artists: Ryan Keeley, Kimyon Huggins, Tasso, Max Nova, Rob Appell, Robena, Caz Haigh, Patrick Muniz, Daniel Feld, Regan Kireilis Helms, Yarden Davis, Jonathan Davis.

Music on the night will be provided by DJ Kimyon (No Agenda, NYC), Baryshnikov (Мишка Records) and Holly Nelson on violin. Special performances will be provided throughout the night by Future & Victor of Flambeaux Fire. In addition to celebrity guests and VIPs who are

expected to be in attendance, this event is expected to attract a diverse cross-section of uptown and downtown New York scenes as well as Fashion Week and Quicksilver Pro attendees.

Open bar will be provided by Prairie Organic Vodka and vegan treats by Angel Milk.

The Keeley Gallery

352 Bowery, NYC

Thursday, September 15

7pm-2am

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Originally from a small mountain town in Colorado, Cynthia learned from a young age that nature is and always will be her element. Surrounded by the beautiful Rocky Mountains for most of her life, Cynthia wanted to be closer to the oceans and relocated to San Diego. After 4 years working for a non-profit theatrical organization, Cynthia decided to shift gears and move to New York. She traveled internationally as a performance artist and came full circle back to the oceans after a life changing experience swimming with wild dolphins in Key West, Florida.

“Making eye contact with a dolphin swimming 4 feet away from me shifted my awareness. I realized we can also coexist harmoniously with our environment.”

After that moment, she realized that one of her life missions was to protect whales, dolphins and marine-life from human harm. This experience prompted the creation and vision for Ocean Lifeline. A few months later, Cynthia relocated to the big island of Hawaii to film dolphins, manta rays and the plastic beach. The production was supported by the organization New York Women in Film and Television as the Fiscal Sponsor.

“People living in big cities such as New York live a fast-paced lifestyle” Cynthia says. “Many of us do not even encounter nature at all on some days. The OLL projections and videos remind us that we are still very much connected and a part of the oceans.”