Merlantis

"The Great Pacific Garbage Patch of Beauty”

An immersive oceanic art installation.

Opens through March 29th, 2026, at Base Camp Studios 2

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True Misschiff is proud to present “Merlantis: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch,” an immersive, narrative-driven art installation at Base Camp Studios 2, running January 30th through March 31st. Created by the artist collective behind the musical comedy webseries, SeaTrip, the exhibition immerses visitors into an underwater world that blends storytelling, environmental critique, and visual intrigue. 

Underlying Merlantis is the enviro-queer saga of SeaTrip: Fisher, a timid human transformed into a mermaid, discovers a sinister capitalist scheme to extract natural resources and commodify mermaid bodies. While the installation draws inspiration from the SeaTrip universe, it stands alone as a fully realized conceptual work. Visitors will step into an elaborate undersea metropolis where urban elements and oceanic aesthetics intertwine. 

Built largely from reclaimed materials, with a focus on repurposing plastic waste, the artists imagine the social and political views of life submerged in the remnants of human consumption. Underneath an ebullient fairy tale facade: the installation reveals the destructive force of corporate interests and pollution. A throne room dedicated to the eccentric mer-king obsessed with human-technology, a shadowy back-alley where shrimps cut shady deals, and a glowing UV-reactive abyssal zone are just some vignettes visitors can explore as they navigate the exhibit. 

On select nights in March, Base Camp Studios 2 will host live performances and interactive programming, inviting visitors to engage with the characters inhabiting Merlantis and deepen their understanding of the plight of the Every Fish as we all struggle to stay afloat in the destructive undertow of human capitalism. 

“We are environmentalists and queer futurists, imagining a future rooted not in domination, but in nonviolence, curiosity, and spanking the status quo” says artistic director, Darren Coyote Sarkin.