Utopia
2021-2022 | Personal
Whales act as forests. They accumulate massive tonnes of carbon that form ocean sediment upon their death and provide hubs for photosynthesizing phytoplankton; Yet, as a result of whale hunting, their contribution to atmospheric carbon reduction is barely acknowledged and is nothing near its initial effectiveness.
This piece depicts a Utopia where whale hunting no longer disrupts the balance of the natural world. The vines are symbolic of fishing nets, and three humpback whales are emerging from their grasp. Below them are three paper boats - forming a peaceful, nonviolent relationship with the whales. Blinding rays scatter from the opposite side, implying the bright future promised by the termination of whale-hunting.
Next Project
Exodus
As a continuation to the piece “Utopia,” the whales act as the sole contributor to carbon reduction in the atmosphere, functioning as “forests” that barely substitute for the burning forests in the background. Collectively, the whales are a “Moses figure,” leading the remainder of nature to safety.