Bermuda unveils whale sculpture made from marine waste for World Oceans Day

Bermuda marked World Oceans Day with the inauguration of 'Whaleen,' a striking, life-sized sculpture of a humpback whale crafted almost entirely from recovered marine waste. The artwork, inspired by a nine-month-old North Atlantic humpback, serves as a powerful visual statement on the impact of pollution.

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I am absolutely delighted that the concept has been brilliantly brought to life thanks to the talent of Bermudian artist Hannah Horsfield. It is a wonderful sculpture and, as a work of art, deserves to be seen by visitors to Government House.

Governor Andrew Murdoch, who conceived the idea, expressed his delight at the project's realization. He praised Bermudian artist Hannah Horsfield for her brilliant execution of the concept. Murdoch emphasized that the six-meter sculpture, created by an educator from the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI), required widespread collaboration and underscored the collective responsibility to protect the ocean.

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It highlights the incredible nature of our coastline through the iconic humpback whale. And it highlights the threat that marine plastics pose to our ocean, as well as the damage they cause to the environment.

'Whaleen' not only celebrates the majestic humpback whale, an icon of Bermuda's coastline, but also starkly illustrates the pervasive threat posed by marine plastics. Artist Hannah Horsfield shared her decade-long dedication to raising awareness about plastic pollution, recounting her personal journey from collecting beach plastics as a teenager to focusing her environmental science thesis on the issue and creating art from reclaimed materials.

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When I was a teenager, I started collecting plastics from the shores of Bermuda; later, I wrote my Environmental Science thesis on the problem of plastic pollution in Bermuda and created artistic installations from recovered marine debris.

The sculpture incorporates over 1,000 plastic items gathered from Bermuda's shores, including fishing traps, oil drums, flip-flops, and bottles. Horsfield hopes the artwork will prompt viewers to reflect on their own impact and inspire greater efforts to safeguard the marine environment and its inhabitants. The project highlights a community-wide commitment to addressing environmental challenges.

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My hope is that the sculpture inspires viewers to reflect on the impact of plastic pollution and motivates them to help protect our marine environment and the extraordinary marine mammals that depend on it.