As winter has turned to spring, in our hemisphere, we’re diving back one season to 2025, in order to prefix a more recent exhibition, about which, more later.
Saltdean Lighthouse at Dawn, November 2025 © Emma Boden
Last November found us on a chalky beach in West Sussex, tuning into tidal wavelengths at the crack of dawn. We were documenting a seaweed gathering mission, with textile and material designer, Alberte Holmø Bojesen (Birdie), and multi-media artist, Diana Scarborough.
First Light, Saltdean, West Sussex © Emma Boden 2025
Alarm clocks were set for 4:00AM, with the sun yet to rise, and the tide at its lowest, the optimum time for rich marine pickings. Sky and roads were crisp and clear in the benevolent light of a waning gibbous moon. Saltdean’s daytime parking restrictions were still some hours away, and remained so until our mission was over.
Seaweed gatherers at dawn, outside the Smugglers chippy © Emma Boden
Birdie and Diana prepared for the enveloping dampness of a seaside dawn, as well as the autumnal chill, getting changed on the deserted high street. We checked out the cliff walk, not a soul in sight.
Moonlit Cliffs, Saltdean © Emma Boden
The moonlight, amplified by the chalky rock face above us, illuminated our progress along the coast. Before long our seaweed seeking companions were on the beach, searching for the most favourable spot to access the distant roaring waves. A slipway proved ideal.
Seaweed gatherers at dawn, Saltdean © Emma Boden, 2025
As moonlight melted into a most spectacular sunrise, and the tide was close to turning, Birdie and Diana headed out towards the frothing waves pounding the dark rock formations in the distance.
Seaweed Sunrise © Emma Boden, 2025
Our lens focussed on the fast changing environment as the shore shook off its night time cloak, revealing glistening treasures, washed onto variegated rocks through chalky rivulets and pools. Shiny pebbles and shells mingled with lush clumps of seaweed.
Beachside Dawn © Emma Boden, 2025
Diana was enjoying the glimpse into Birdie’s world, “…the seaweed, the pre-dawn gathering and the sense of anticipation was a joy. I imagined how I might see and interpret that beautiful, elusive, underwater dance, the texture, shape and colour of a seaweed story told. Thank you Birdie for sharing your world!”
Diana movie making with Birdie in the distance © Emma Boden
The seaweed gatherers were beyond shouting distance by now, picking their way into the shallows, Birdie with a harvesting bag in hand. Her excitement on the brightening seashore was infectious. “Being used to picking seaweed on rougher Nordic and Arctic coasts, Brighton’s calmer chalk-filled waters were completely foreign to me.
Rock Weed
Bladderwrack
Sea Grapes
Sea Oak
There are many common names for the ubiquitous Fucus Vesiculosus algae family, as above.
Seeing the long forked strands of Himanthalia Elongata entangled in heaps on the shore was amazing. I have never seen them in such numbers and lengths. While roaming amidst the rippled chalk formations, we found that more familiar seaweed species such as Dulce, Sea Lettuce and Bladderwrack were also thriving.”
Alberte Holmø Bojesen with sea spaghetti © Emma Boden
Returning to base camp, Birdie laid out samples of different species of seaweed for appraisal, before a final trawl. Further along the beach, returning to the car, there were more finds, including large clumps of sea spaghetti (Himanthalia elongata) which were held triumphantly aloft with a cheer.
Diana’s Sea Pickings, Algae Rhythms © Emma Boden
Back in Cambridge, the seaweed was strung up on Diana’s washing line to air. Not long after our trip, Birdie set off back home for Christmas. Diana, meanwhile, focussed her attention on creative outcomes that would blend art with science, and the unseen with the visible. Check back soon for our continuation to this story.
Irish Moss
Dulce
Sea Lettuce
Algae Mix
Sea Bounty, Saltdean © Emma Boden
Educated at The Swedish School of Textiles in Borås, Birdie later graduated from Fabricademy, an international diploma programme that specialises in cross-disciplinary design processes. Their focus is on biology, technology, and textiles.
Birdie’s own work centres on the synergy between material, humans, and ecosystems. Among other things, she researches seaweed as a regenerative substance, and as part of an ecocentric design process. A strong interest in sustainability and interdisciplinary collaboration shapes her approach to both design and materials.
Saltdean Chalk Cliffs © Emma Boden
In 2025, Birdie’s research brought her to Cambridge, to explore potential projects with Fruk Lab. There she met the bio-nano engineering group’s artist in residence, Diana. Having previously enjoyed working with Diana, on the Arts Council England funded Cradle of Fire project, we were more than happy to document the start of this new adventure.
Sunrise Algae Rhythms © Emma Boden
We asked Birdie how her research connected with Fruk Lab. “In the first instance, my focus is on understanding and documenting the material properties of kelp biomass, gathered from different locations at diverse harvesting times.
Saltdean Causeway © Emma Boden
Over the past 12 months I’ve been helped by contacts in Norway, the Faroe Islands and Iceland. They’ve been collecting laminaria digitata once or twice a month, and this material has been processed into seaweed paper/leather. The idea is to explore and document its properties, which range from completely rigid and porous, through to lovely flexible strong material.
Saltdean Seaweed © Emma Boden
My second objective has been to modify and strengthen the material through natural means i.e. not adding any petroleum based or chemically harmful materials. This has been done in collaboration with scientists, including those working at Fruk Lab.
The final objective has been fabrication with the resulting material, modifying the seaweed pulp so that it can be moulded or 3d printed.”
Documenting Seaweed at Saltdean, November 2025 © Emma Boden
If you’d like to find out more about British coastline treasures, including stories relating to over 650 native species of seaweed, and how to protect them, visit the Marine Conservation Society’s website. Join them for the 2026 Big Seaweed Search to help document Britain’s key 14 types of algae, some of which have been photographed on these pages.
Text and photography © Emma Boden for Armadillo Central, 2025. To enquire about signed archival fine art prints featuring photographs on this page, please drop us a line via our Contact page.
Follow Birdie’s adventures and achievements on her Instagram profile and visit Diana Scarborough’s website for her latest news. Our social media links are at the top of this page.
