WWF WHALE TALES
From the Tiny to the Mighty
In January 2022, an immersive experience celebrating Aotearoa, art, and marine conservation came to Auckland.
In January 2022, WWF hosted an immersive experience celebrating Aotearoa marine environment through a trail of uniquely designed and painted Whale Tail Sculptures that were placed around Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland. The Tails were inspired by the endangered Bryde's Whale, telling the 'tales' of our moana (ocean) and how we all have a part to play for a healthy ocean.
In 2020 my close friend and previous colleague, Bhakti and I decided that we would take on the challenge to paint a 1.8m tail.
Our Whale Tail 'Tiny to the Mighty' is an appreciation and awareness of the importance, diversity and beauty of plankton. The gradient of the fluke represents the depth of the water column. The tip of the fluke is shallow, with light penetrating through. In the shallow water, phytoplankton is dominant. Requiring light to photosynthesise, these organisms dominate the upper part of the water column. As you move down to the blackness of the depths, only zooplankton appear. Using the beauty of plankton’s diversity and forms, we wanted to raise the awareness of how human impacts from climate change and pollution affect plankton.
After 500 hours of painting, ensuring the plankton were accurately detailed, representing what they would look like under a microscope.
Every second breath comes from the Ocean, so it was important for us to highlight and celebrate their significance in our ecosystem. Plankton are the unseen heroes of entire marine ecosystems. They provide food to an enormous variety of species, from tiny shellfish to whales. They have such a vital role in our oceans including as the food source of Bryde’s whales, as well as other baleen whales.
In January 2022, WWF hosted an immersive experience celebrating Aotearoa marine environment through a trail of uniquely designed and painted Whale Tail Sculptures that were placed around Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland. The Tails were inspired by the endangered Bryde's Whale, telling the 'tales' of our moana (ocean) and how we all have a part to play for a healthy ocean.
In 2020 my close friend and previous colleague, Bhakti and I decided that we would take on the challenge to paint a 1.8m tail.
Our Whale Tail 'Tiny to the Mighty' is an appreciation and awareness of the importance, diversity and beauty of plankton. The gradient of the fluke represents the depth of the water column. The tip of the fluke is shallow, with light penetrating through. In the shallow water, phytoplankton is dominant. Requiring light to photosynthesise, these organisms dominate the upper part of the water column. As you move down to the blackness of the depths, only zooplankton appear. Using the beauty of plankton’s diversity and forms, we wanted to raise the awareness of how human impacts from climate change and pollution affect plankton.
After 500 hours of painting, ensuring the plankton were accurately detailed, representing what they would look like under a microscope.
Every second breath comes from the Ocean, so it was important for us to highlight and celebrate their significance in our ecosystem. Plankton are the unseen heroes of entire marine ecosystems. They provide food to an enormous variety of species, from tiny shellfish to whales. They have such a vital role in our oceans including as the food source of Bryde’s whales, as well as other baleen whales.