The Coral Collective, the global initiative driving action to protect coral reefs from extinction, has today revealed the full line-up of artists contributing to Thirty Six For Coral – a world-first exhibition and auction in support of ocean conservation.
Among the confirmed artists are Vik Muniz, OSGEMEOS, Rocco Ritchie, Marc Quinn, RETNA, Jemima Kirke, Dustin Yellin, Charlotte Colbert, and Walton Ford. For the full list, please see the bottom of the release.
These artists join a movement supported by Global Ambassadors HRH Princess Eugenie of York, Sienna Miller, Will Poulter, Rita Ora, Cara Delevingne, Georgia Fowler, Slash, and many high-profile names aiming to raise awareness and critical funding for coral reefs – one of the most critically endangered ecosystems on Earth.
Timed to coincide with the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference in nearby Nice (9 – 13 June), the landmark exhibition – part of The Coral Collective, a bold initiative by ocean charity Project Zero – will run from 12-20 June at the iconic Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat on the French Riviera.
HRH Princess Eugenie of York, Global Ambassador, Project Zero/The Coral Collective, said: “Despite occupying less than 1% of the seabed, coral reefs support 25% of all life in the ocean, and one billion people around the world depend on coral reefs for food and jobs. I’m pleased to be supporting Thirty Six for Coral, an important art exhibition that will help connect more people to the irreplaceable value of coral reefs, and raise essential funding to help protect and restore them for future generations.”
Slash, Global Ambassador, Project Zero/The Coral Collective, said: “I’m super excited that Project Zero’s Coral Collective along with the United Nations is making great strides towards protecting the planet’s coral reefs and saving them from extinction with the THIRTY SIX FOR CORAL art exhibition. This is the beginning of a great global coral conservation effort.”
The exhibition opens with an invitation-only cocktail reception on 12th June, followed by public viewings of works that blend artistic brilliance with urgent environmental storytelling.
Among the thirty six artworks going under the hammer is a pioneering carbon sink sculpture medium titled Heart of Okeanos by British-Italian artist Petroc Sesti, inspired by coral’s natural ability to capture and store carbon. By combining eco-friendly concrete with carbon capture crystals, Sesti has created a pioneering material that permanently locks away CO₂ in solid form – a first for the art world.
Also featured is Medusa’s Blood by Henrietta Armstrong, a striking large-scale work inspired by ancient Mediterranean coral charms and the myth of Medusa. Glowing in vivid reds and pinks, the piece serves as both a protective talisman and a tribute to the fragile beauty of coral reefs – at once shrine, symbol, and lament for an ecosystem under threat.
Other standout contributions from British artists include The Coral Lobster, a bespoke acrylic work by Philip Colbert; Ghost Reef, a composite sand print by London-based Shezad Dawood; an oil reinterpretation of Giuseppe Sanmartino’s sculpture by Rocco Ritchie; and a framed Cibachrome print by Rob and Nick Carter.
Franco-British artist Charlotte Colbert, one of the 36 featured, said: “It’s great to be part of this year’s Coral Collective exhibition and auction, raising awareness on the critical nature of coral reefs. My piece, Out With Lanterns, a riff on Emily Dickinson’s famous line “I am out with lanterns looking for myself,” shows a small child/angel braving giant waves morphing into swan-like creatures. The girl is small, the waves are big, she is not drowning, she is flying. There is hope.”
Dustin Yellin added: “I’m pleased to contribute my sculpture, HELP!, to the Thirty Six for Coral exhibition, and for their work to spread the message that it’s not too late to save the extraordinary coral reef ecosystem from extinction.”
