British artist Peter Matthews’s practice is characterised by his relationship with the sea, and his unique process of art making in which he abandons himself for prolonged periods in the ocean. This work is one from a series of eight drawings literally drawn ‘in and with’ the Atlantic Ocean, off Cornwall, England.

In exposing himself to the unpredictable dangers of the sea, Matthews positions himself within a line of artists such as Joseph Vernet and (purportedly) JMW Turner, who put themselves in jeopardy for the sake of their interpretation of the sublime powers of the sea. To some extent, he is also a performance artist, as his work is as much about his immersion in the ocean, the physically demanding, sometimes life-threatening experience of drawing of painting for hours at the mercy of the cold currents, as it is about the finished object.

The drawing is made of scratchings, marks and outlines that evoke the seabed and shore, combined with inscriptions recording Matthews’ musings as he was drifting, half submerged, in the Atlantic Ocean.