Watermark: Hurricane Helene New Media Works by Temple of Seaweed

Join us for the Opening Reception of the exhibition Watermark: Hurricane Helene New Media Works by Temple of Seaweed, on Friday, September 25th, 5-7pm, The Sami Zoobi New Media Gallery, 3rd Floor, Owen Hall, 100 Theatre Ln, UNC Asheville.

What is the story that’s told in the wake of a natural disaster?

In the two years since Hurricane Helene Temple of Seaweed has sought to create deeply moving stories about the slow, weathered shape of survival.

Geologist Brian Yanites said, “Helene was a powerful reminder that natural hazards don’t disappear when the skies clear—they evolve.” So do the stories of the people in our community.

This exhibition, specially curated for the Sami Zoobi New Media Gallery, features films by Temple of Seaweed and a photography series by local artists curated by Kai Lendzion & Naomi Lee. It invites viewers into an immersive, participatory remembrance of Helene: to cross the threshold of grief's release and explore the emboldening possibilities of renewal.

This show is dedicated to Sami Zoobi, who passed away in Hurricane Helene, and for whom the Sami Zoobi New Media gallery is named.

Watermark: Hurricane Helene New Media Works by Temple of Seaweed is sponsored by the Dogwood Health Trust, UNC Asheville Student Community Coordinator funds, and The Department of New Media at UNCA.

Temple of Seaweed is an Asheville-based film collective formed in 2025. Its post-Helene films have screened at international film festivals, were featured nationally in Orion Magazine, won best short climate film at the 2026 My Name is Climate festival and received the 2026 Mountain Strong Award at the Asheville Film Festival. Temple of Seaweed’s films, photo retrospective, music video series, storytelling and town hall about Hurricane Helene were presented at Madison Square Garden, the Asheville Art Museum, Dogwood Health Trust’s Annual Convening, White Horse Black Mountain, Story Parlor and Deep Time Cafe.