The art of freediving—in which swimmers dive deep underwater without the aid of any breathing devices—is the subject of a new immersive installation by the Italian film-maker Martina Amati (herself a freediver). The multi-channel film, titled Under, debuts at the Ambrika P3 Gallery at the University of Westminster, London (26 September-11 October).
The main part of the work takes viewers on a journey with Amati and a crew of freediving cameramen, while other screens focus on the bodily movements of swimmers. Amati, who has never been a competitive freediver, calls the experience “a form of meditation that stimulates my creative process. Each dive is a discovery, where I open myself to unfamiliar sensations and feelings.”
The filmmaker, who now lives in London, won a BAFTA award in 2010 for her short film I Do Air. Under is supported by the Wellcome Trust.