Discovering Lost Voices

When commencing a project involving whales, my starting point just had to be the classic text "Moby Dick" by Herman Melville. Part novel, part history of whaling, it's certainly not an easy read. However, there are some really poetic passages which spark numerous ideas and images. From initially thinking I wanted to work with a severe decline in the whale populations, the more I read, the more I became aware of the tremendous loss of life on both sides - whales and humans. My research has taken me on a long, interesting and unexpected journey exploring the complex relationship with the whaling industry.

​The original whaling log books consisted of daily entries recording ships activities, sightings and weather conditions. These documents are of great value to climate scientists, who are able to compare weather patterns and confirm how conditions have changed. Carved whale stamps were used as a visual aid to record the animals seen, caught and the barrels of whale oil extracted. Furthermore, I was surprised to learn the captains wife would often accompany him on longer voyages. Occasionally more personal reflections can be found which describe the personal hardships and loneliness experienced.

​I was particularly interested in the early years of whaling - the age of sail - and by those expeditions to the cold north. This series of log books is my response where I am attempted to combine the human story alongside the industry's more gruesome legacies. Taking visual inspiration from the old whaling log books, I have used first hand accounts and passages from "Moby Dick" to give an authenticity to the experiences. Hoping to capture the lost voices from this period of history.

                    Lost Voices - Ditty Box containing the Captains journal on the left, his wife's on the right.

               Log book page