The Gulf of Mexico, close to my family’s heart, inspired this piece featuring a Rice’s Whale—one of the most endangered whales in the world, with fewer than 100 remaining. Unique to the Gulf, these whales face threats like oil spills, boat strikes, and ocean debris. I depicted the whale as if formed by bleaching coral - also doubling as a fossilized version of itself - symbolizing its vulnerability and a nod to the extreme coral bleaching occurring in the Florida Keys because of rising ocean temperatures. Plastic, molded in the shape of a tail, forms the bottom portion of the whale as oil fills the void within. A squadron of endangered Manta Rays accompany the whale form and gradually fade away - visually and metaphorically. This piece juxtaposes beauty with devastation, urging reflection on the critical need for environmental change before the echoes from our oceans fade out forever.
Thomas Turner
