THE SEAWOMEN ART COLLECTION

They are part of a tradition that has been passed down from mother to daughter for a 1000 years. They are the Korean mermaids, or the haenyeo, of Jeju Island who venture into frigid depths of up to 20 meters without any breathing equipment, braving the dangers of the ocean, as they scour the seabed for abalone, octopus, and other seafood. The haenyeo believe we do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, but that we borrow it from our children. Fierce guardians of the sea, they only harvest what they can carry with their two hands, but sadly they are a dying breed.