Humpback Whale Glacier (ISAMN114), captured by Whale Wise.
Föstudaginn 23. október kl. 17 opnar sýning Rosemary Connelli Where the Light Enters: Ísafjarðardjúp’s Angels of the Sea, á gangi Edinborgarhússins.
Sýningin sameinar myndlist og vísindi til að segja sögu hnúfubaka í Ísafjarðardjúpi. Verkin byggja á ljósmyndum úr rannsóknum á staðbundnum hvölum og varpa ljósi á áskoranir þeirra, meðal annars flækjur í veiðarfærum.
Texti frá Rosemary:
Often referred to as ‘angels of the sea’ with their wing-like pectoral fins, the humpback whales of Ísafjarðardjúp are known for having a deeply embedded relationship with their foraging homes in the fjords, remembering how to return home on their annual migration. Their return each year has been observed by researchers, documenting their presence in Ísafjörður’s summer and autumn seasons to feed in the cold, nutrient-rich waters. Their return is a celebration, with each visit building a stronger relationship between humans and nature, and an opportunity to learn each whale’s story.
Contrarily, human impacts threaten humpback whale populations and are increasing globally, with one major threat recognized as entanglement in fishing gear. About a quarter of humpback whales in Iceland have experienced entanglements from fishing gear, including individual whales identified in Ísafjarðardjúp such as Birch and Bisous, who have prominent scarring on their bodies.
To celebrate and raise awareness of Ísafjarðardjúp’s resident humpback whale population, artist and researcher Rosemary Connelli will be combining printmaking and science to communicate the whales and their migration patterns, entanglement stories, and ongoing research and conservation efforts. Collaborating with local research organization Whale Wise, she has gained insight into the resident humpback whales and the individuals who have experienced entanglements.
Where the Light Enters: Ísafjarðardjúp’s Angels of the Sea will feature linocut prints referenced from photographs captured by local researchers in ongoing scar analysis and photo-identification projects. Inspired by pottery practices using a gold join to repair damages, gold ink will be placed over each whale’s entanglement scars in the prints to light an ongoing issue, with the gold scars serving as a testament of healing and repair. The gold ink on the print binds the wound and the repair forever; in a similar fashion, human presence is inevitably tied to environmental impact, and the conservation measures we partake in can help repair the future of whale populations.
The purpose of this exhibition will be to uplift the local research, inspire educational dialogue, and unite the community to explore and participate in citizen science efforts. A percentage of prints sold will be donated to Whale Wise to assist in ongoing efforts.