Kelp, Light, and the Mystery of Metamorphosis
Step into a world where the ocean reshapes itself into art. In Metamorphosis, photographer Joe Platko takes viewers below the surface of Monterey Bay, into swaying kelp forests, fractured reflections, and dreamlike underwater currents and transforms them into surreal, abstract compositions.
About the Artist
Joe Platko is a nature and underwater photographer based in Marina, California. His work has been featured by BBC, National Geographic, The New York Times, and more. He is the Operations Manager and workshop instructor at Bradley Print & Photo and an ambassador for Huish Outdoors.
About the Work
Using long exposure, mirrored symmetry, and the natural movement of water and kelp, Joe’s work goes beyond documentation. Kelp becomes wings. Water becomes smoke. Light becomes geometry. Familiar forms dissolve into something otherworldly, a visual meditation on rhythm, transformation, and the quiet pulse of the sea.
Event Details
Bradley Gallery
566 Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove, CASaturday, December 6
6:00–9:00 PM (Doors open at 6)Free Admission | Art prints available for purchase
Live music and refreshments
Artist Statement
This ongoing series explores kelp through transformation, life, motion, decay, and renewal. Inspired by the rhythms of the ocean and the abstract work of Wynn Bullock, Joe mirrors kelp compositions to create “kelp bouquets”—images that feel familiar and otherworldly at once. Each piece is a moment of nature reshaped into reflection, symmetry, and emotion.
Why Attend?
Experience Monterey Bay’s kelp forests through abstract, mirrored, and ethereal imagery
Meet the artist and hear about the process beneath the waves
Enjoy ocean-inspired fine art in a relaxed, intimate gallery setting