Alexis Rockman, (United States, b. 1962), Oceanus, 2022 (detail). Oil and cold wax on Dibond, 99 1/2” x 286 1/2” x 2 1/8”, Mystic Seaport Museum collection.
Thursday, July 3 | 5p-7P
Tickets: $10 [Member rate: free]
Celebrate the opening of a new exhibition, Alexis Rockman: Oceanus (on view June 28, 2025 - January 4, 2026) as part of MMAM’s Thursday Night Series. Explore the new exhibition, hear from the curators, and witness Alexis Rockman’s stunning work up close. This is a chance to gather, connect, and enjoy great art that finds deep inspiration in water.
Program Schedule
5 – 6p: Enjoy light refreshments and be among the first to view the newly opened exhibition.
6 – 6:15p: Hear from the curators as they share insights into the exhibition's themes and featured works.
6:15 – 7p: Continue exploring the exhibition at your own pace.
About the Exhibition
Alexis Rockman: Oceanus
ON View June 28, 2025 - January 4, 2026
Journey through the powerful intersection of art, science, and history in Alexis Rockman: Oceanus. This exhibition confronts humanity's relationship with the ocean, exploring biodiversity, climate change, and the enduring impact of human activity on our seas. At the heart of the exhibit is an awe-inspiring 8’ x 24’ oil painting, a timeline of human intervention in marine environments. Its climax—a radiant tsunami wave of epic proportions—symbolizes both the beauty and fragility of our oceans. Beneath the waves, marine species vividly illustrate stories of exploitation, resilience, and survival, from the era of whaling to the modern challenges of seabed mining.
Complementing the centerpiece are ten watercolors, each a vivid meditation on themes of ecosystem decline and species survival. These works, commissioned in 2021 by Mystic Seaport Museum, blend historical maritime artifacts with groundbreaking scientific insights to create an immersive, thought-provoking experience.Oceanus is more than an art exhibition—it’s a call to reflect on the legacy we leave behind and a celebration of the ocean's enduring power and wonder.
Alexis Rockman
Alexis Rockman is a painter who works at the intersection of art and science, with a focus on depicting natural history and environmental science. His major solo museum exhibitions have included A Fable for Tomorrow at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (2010), The Great Lakes Cycle organized by the Grand Rapids Art Museum (2018-2020), and Shipwrecks at the Peabody Essex Museum (2021). His work is included in public and private collections around the world, including the Brooklyn Museum, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art, and Yale University Art Gallery. From 2009 to 2012, Rockman collaborated with director Ang Lee on the prizewinning film Life of Pi, serving as “inspirational artist.”
Support Comes From
The Minnesota Marine Art Museum acknowledges the generous support to make this exhibition possible from our members, our corporate Friends of MMAM, the Mardag Foundation, the Elizabeth Callender King Foundation, and the Morgan Family Foundation. Special thanks to our media partner, Minnesota Public Radio, and the Minnesota State Arts Board.
This exhibition project is presented by MMAM, a nonprofit art museum located on the shores of the Upper Mississippi River.
Presenting partner
Media partner
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts & cultural heritage fund.