February 15, 2014: 2:40am-2:40pn
12 hours, 0 minutes
live performance + time-lapse

36.5 / Akumal Bay was created as a research iteration and Sunde entered the process with the goal to define the constraints of the project and to test out rules of engagement with the public. Interviews with locals about their relationship to water led to the decision about where the performance should take place, thus the story of the project emerged organically based on local input. The direct impact of humans on the environment can be witnessed every day in Akumal Bay. Along with the rising tide, this became the story for this iteration.

The public was invited to participate from the shore, and seven people joined Sunde during the final hour. A local photographer provided photos and time-lapse video, which were presented in a local exhibition two weeks after the performance. Approximately 250 people encountered the work.

  • 2:45am
  • 5:32am
  • 6:22am
  • 7:10am
  • 8:35am high tide!
  • 9:53am
  • 10:52am
  • 12:39pm
  • 1:06pm
photos by Scott Brown.
  • Christie started the underwater time-lapse at 5am with help from a flashlight
  • underwater time-lapse shot
  • the invitation station on the beach for the public
  • one participant made a big 36.5 in the sand
  • ______1854627_orig
  • with less than an hour to go, six people came to join me for the final moments of the stand - a remarkable surprise ending!
  • walking out at the very end
  • my wrinkly hands after 12 hours of submersion in salt water
photos by Scott Brown, Christie Sandvik, Kim Schultz and Sev Regehr.

At the end of this R&D iteration, Sunde commented:

“While I loved this iteration for many reasons, I realized that moving forward, it would be critical to have at least 4 feet of tidal shift in order to keep the image of the water rising on my body. I learned so much about engaging with the public and wanted to test out these ideas on a larger scale. The place that made the most sense to do that? San Francisco Bay, the body of water closest to where I grew up.”

36.5 / Akumal Bay

Akumal, Mexico
by Sarah Cameron Sunde

with Akumal International Artist Residency
Kim Shultz (curator)
Scott Brown (photographer)

36.5 / Akumal (part 2) was made possible with support from Akumal International Artist Residency, the artists there, and the entire community of Akumal, specifically: Kim Schultz, Scott Brown, Marieke White, Christie Sandvik, Magda Buszek, Karen Cantrell, Cesan d’Ornellas Levine, Julie Bray, Marti Johnston, Jacob van Oeveren, Paul Sanchez Navarro, Michael Stewart, Gimena Pantoja, Israel Gonzalez, Magdalena Gulda, Jonathan Ellerby, Natalie and Ivan Perez, Rosette Sullivan, Laura Wolfe, Desiree Asbury and everyone else in Akumal.

Each person Sunde met in Akumal opened up a new part of the story; she tracked these discoveries on 365durational.blogspot.com.