Breathe in deeply, close your eyes and imagine that you are underwater. Breathe in deeply, close your eyes and imagine that you are underwater. breath As you dive below the surface, the hypnotic sounds of the water begin to soothe your senses, and you notice the sunbeams scatter through the turquoise shallows. Hold you breath and sink lower into the indigo depths of the ocean, to the spaces unexplored by man. Here, there are no rules, restrictions or boundaries other than those governed by nature. You feel an overwhelming sense of peace and the freedom to begin a new adventure… This is how I felt when I first experienced Martina Amati’s ‘Under’ installation at The Wellcome Gallery in Euston. Standing there in the dark room between two projector screens, I felt as though I had been dragged underwater with her. I became completely immersed and entranced by the skilful art of free diving. This is swimming for long period of time underwater without a breathing apparatus. Whilst it may seem unnatural and dangerous, I began to appreciate how addictive it must be when executed correctly. The divers succumb to the water’s natural rhythm and they flow gracefully through it like dancers. The film itself captures the free divers’ journey underwater all within a single lungful of air. The female free diving record is an impressive 9 minutes and it’s 11 minutes for men. Martina explains, on her interviews, that each time she dives deeper and comes closer to death, she feels more alive than ever when resurfacing for air. Essentially, free diving challenges the limits of science and the critical combinations of time, distance and depth. Therefore, it’s important to stay completely in tune with your body in order to be in control of the risks at stake. As I watched the divers plummet, I was overwhelmed by this constant physiological and mental battle that they face. They fight between t he liberation of the deep ocean, and the pressure of returning to land. The intensity of Martina Amati’s short film captivated me profoundly, and it was impossible not to be lured. I could see the divers enter a meditative state that brings them into an entirely new dimension, one that Martina likens to being back in the womb. She hopes that ‘Under’ will raise awareness and trigger scientists to research and collaborate with free divers to keep pushing the limits of what’s humanly possible. The intensity of Martina Amati’s short film captivated me profoundly, and it was impossible not to be lured. I could see the divers enter a meditative state that brings them into an entirely new dimension, one that Martina likens to being back in the womb. She hopes that ‘Under’ will raise awareness and trigger scientists to research and collaborate with free divers to keep pushing the limits of what’s humanly possible. “Focus on endurance and functionality, each detail serves a purpose to keep the officers protected against wind and rain.”