Pacific Islands Ocean Observatory System Highlights Jana Ireijo’s “Vanishing Murals: Hawaiʻi Ocean” NFT Collection

On October 25, 2023, artist Jana Ireijo launched her environmental-focused NFT collection: “Vanishing Murals: Hawaiʻi Ocean.” By intelligently converging art, technology, science, and environmental advocacy, this project illustrates a new frontier of interactive art and the implications of rising temperatures for our coral reefs. Jana started by hand painting six layers of each artwork. The layers “vanish” into constellations and the stars that guide us. Even as hope fades, we are reminded of the power of collaboration and the resiliency of nature if we give it a chance. Using cutting-edge blockchain technology, project developer Inoa.ai assigned each layer an ocean temperature range using data pulled every 12 hours from the PacIOOS website. When water temperatures start to rise, the NFT fades, and when the temperatures move back to optimal levels, the image reappears. Advising on the environmental data were University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa PhD Candidates in Marine Biology, Mollie Asbury and Erika Cabell. This collection supports the work of Fish Pono-Save Our Reefs. A donation of $4500 (20% of each NFT sold) was made to their public education campaign to help share the message that by living pono, in balance with nature, we will ensure healthy reefs, abundant with life for our future ʻohana. [Image: A set of Jana Ireijoʻs Vanishing Murals]