Mermaids do take care of the Ocean

Mermaids are not fantasy — they are guardians. In Mermaids do take care of the Ocean, Amanda Arrou-tea reimagines the mythical figure as a symbol of care, grief, and responsibility. At the heart of the mural, a melancholic mermaid cradles a vulnerable Cladocora caespitosa coral — an endangered Mediterranean species deeply affected by climate change. This piece, created during the artist’s residency in Ustica, reflects the emotional impact of encountering a marine ecosystem in distress. The work is both a tribute to underwater life and a warning: the ocean is
alive, fragile, and increasingly threatened by human action. Through aquatic hues and a soft yet expressive brushstroke, the mural invites passersby to slow down, to feel, and to recognize that even myth carries messages of urgency. More than decoration, the mural becomes a mirror of ecological truth, where myth and science meet. The mermaid, submerged in an ecosystem of fading corals and marine flora, is a metaphor for our shared vulnerability — and a quiet but powerful call to take responsibility for the ocean’s future..