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Mangroves are one of the fastest declining forests of the world - often consumed and considered expendable in our race to develop and engulf our coastlines. Their immense importance in protecting our shores from floods and sustaining our fisheries is forgotten.
Through this cabinet of curiosity, my artwork focuses on the astonishing biodiversity these forests, that belong to the water, hold within their entangled roots and mysterious canopies.
Mumbai’s urban jungle is home to a forgotten forest that not only allows the city to persist, but also creates room for nature to coexist and flourish.
Exhibited at the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP26 Glasgow 2021 official art exhibition - Art + Resilience: An Augmented Reality Art Trail
Presented by the Coalition for Climate Resilient Investment (CCRI)
With Mumbai at risk of being consumed by the sea as early as 2050, visual storyteller Kohli draws attention to the city’s mangrove forests and their capacity to lessen the impact of flooding. Highlighting the incredible biodiversity of Mangrove forests, the artwork speaks of the interconnection between indigenous communities and the health of our forests, oceans and rivers.
The Gateway of India is a triumphal arch on the eastern side of Mumbai city. It is a site of frequent flooding. Floods are expected to get more severe over time due to a strengthened monsoon season and sea-level rise. Currently, the site averages a half-meter of flooding every 20 years. If we do nothing (SSP5-RCP8.5), the severity of these floods is expected to double by 2050. Following the Paris agreement (SSP1-RCP2.6), this doubling is delayed by 35 years, to 2085. However, under all scenarios, investment in natural and manmade flood defences are required to protect the city and Mangrove forest protection can be one of the first steps to mitigate flood risks.