Whiskey to the Cockles is the flag installation that commemorates declining marine ecosystems in the Thames Estuary, including endanged cockcle habitats. As a nautical signal for medical emergencies, the W flag, also known as the Whiskey Flag, is adapted to declare the environmental emergency by incorporating the cockle mesh bag as the material choice for the central red part of the flag.   

Cockles of My Heart II is the second iteration of a project that began with an exploration of Morecambe Bay. Presented alongside the installation Whiskey to the Cockles, this immersive sound piece is crafted from field research and estuary recordings, interwoven with newly written stories told from the perspectives of cockles and the sea. Hosted as a participatory listening walk, Breakwater invites audiences to explore the complex entanglements between cockle habitats and landscapes of extraction—shaped by toxic waste disposal, industrial fishing, military activity, and global trade routes.
Part of Breakwater’s commission for Estuary 2025 - Submarine Consciousness, Or What Have You.

Lead Artists - Breakwater of Youngsook Choi & Taey Iohe

Field Research Collaboration - Gerolamo Gnecchi Ruscone & Graham Harwood

Flag Fabrication - Eva Freeman

Sound & Audio - Ben Dixon

Voice Actors - Kate Millner & Charlotte Luxford

Music Tracks - Working River and Folktree Recordings by Brian Denny

Thank you to Essex County Council for their support for this project.