Joe Yaiullo
Photography & Sculpture
Raised among salt marshes, pine barrens, and Atlantic tides, Joe developed a deep reverence for the interconnectedness of land, sea, and all living beings. His work reminds us that we are not above nature—we are part of it—woven into the same fabric of tide and terrain. As co-founder and curator of the Long Island Aquarium, Joe is known for designing and maintaining one of the largest living coral reef displays in the world—a thriving 20,000-gallon marine tank that has become a hub for public education and oceanic appreciation. His deep understanding of marine ecosystems and commitment to conservation infuse every piece in the exhibition with scientific insight and emotional depth.
With photography and sculpture, I capture moments that often go unnoticed—light catching a bird’s wing just right, wind skimming across the water, the shift between night and morning. These moments speak to nature’s strength, movement, and constant change.
My work comes from years spent exploring Long Island’s coasts and woodlands—not just as a scientist, but as someone who’s always been moved by the way these places breathe and evolve. Here, in one of the most densely populated regions in the country, nature endures. There’s so much life to witness if you take the time to look.
I’ve always been in awe of birds—the way they fly, wade, survive brutal winters and blazing summers, and somehow know exactly where to go across thousands of miles. And whales? Their sheer power paired with their grace is just incredible.
The materials I use—driftwood, rusted metal, old bricks—are fragments of the shoreline that have their own stories. I shape them into sculptures that honor the cycles of change and our place in them.