Dolphin art, by a dolphin named Elvis
Our daughter is an art major. At her college, all seniors are required to write a thesis during their final year. The thesis for art majors has to tie in thematically with a series of twenty or more paintings that are exhibited in the campus art building during the last month of the school year.
Megan’s theme is about fragmented perceptions, specifically in how we perceive dolphins. She chose watercolor as her medium. Part of her preparation for her series of paintings was spending a month at a dolphin facility in the Florida Keys, where the dolphins live in captivity. We wrote about that here.
During her internship, she took a number of photos, some of them underwater, that she used as templates for her paintings. Rather than painting a complete dolphin in one , she sliced each photo into several segments, which each became a painting. Individually, they appear like abstract art, creating a sense of fragmentation. But when the paintings are arranged next to each other, you see the whole dolphin.
Whenever she finished a series of paintings, she drove over to a local art and frame shop and had the paintings mounted on foam board – also called foam board – a dry matting process. She told the frame shop how she wanted the paintings arranged, they did the dry matting.
This weekend she came home and had some photos of two series that she had presented to her thesis committee. The synchronicities that emerged are both startling and disturbing and aren’t what she intended when she set out on this venture.
In this first series, you can see that the matting process creates a kind of window through which we’re seeing the dolphins. It’s rather how we felt when we visited the facility on Megan’s last day there – a meet and greet, a kind of window into the world of captive dolphins.
In the second series, the matting process creates something quite different. We’re seeing the dolphins behind what looks like prison bars.
Here’s another little dolphin synchro. When Megan was visiting us recently, she was walking down the hall to her bedroom and noticed one of the family history pics on the wall showng her as a child swimming with dolphins at Dolphins Plus. To her surprise, she recognized the dolphin she was riding at age 11 as Elvis, her favorite dolphin from her time this year working at the dolphin center.
+++
And yet another synchro. Last night, 4/11/11, Ray Getzinger, who comments on our blog, sent us the following video, with a note: Megan might like this video of a cat and a dolphin playing. Ray knows, of course, about Megan’s dolphin stuff, but he didn’t know we were going to post this today.
A pearler is like calling something a gem. It is an Aussie expression for something really great ,or out of the box so to speak. I guess it is like opening an oyster shell and finding something wonderful inside.
Very cool word! I kind of figured it was something like that, but figured I’d better ask!
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Wow, Terri, thank you very much. Megan will be thrilled!
Ah yes, beautiful soul of the painter and the painted. I love the gentle colours in the paintings, the flow of energy through the water is beautiful, as well. The sad eyes of the dolphin are compelling, they look to be patiently resigned to me. Great work Megan.
Oh, and the synchro was a pearler. ♥
OK, do tell, Nat. What’s a pearler?? It sounds good, but have never heard the term before!
Megan is amazingly talented. I love the colors she used and the way she was able to put feeling in the eyes of the dolphins. I feel as though I’m looking deep into their souls. Maybe when Megan gathered her ideas for her thesis artwork…the dolphins whispered their ideas to her for what they wanted us to see in her work. Maybe it was the dolphins way of conveying the message and used Megan as the messenger. You must be very proud of this work she’s done. Aren’t kids today amazing?
Kids today are our teachers! I sent her the link so she can see the feedback on her paintings. Thanks for stopping by!
Ah, Trish and Rob, I know you are so proud of her. So am I! What beautiful, thought-provoking, feeling-provoking work she does. Thanks so much for letting us see this! Love to Megan and to her dolphin friends.
Hola Nancita – figured you as the auntie would love this!
I just noticed another synchro as I clicked on the video link in the blog even though it was the third time I watched it. A little over twenty years ago we had a cat that looked just like the one playing with dolphins. That was the year I got out of the Navy and moved out of Navy housing. When we had lived in the new residence just a few months a real estate agent brought a cat just like her to us and asked if it was ours. It turned out that it came from the same litter. The people who owned it left without it so we ended up with two sisters.
Ray
And here’s another level to that synchro, Ray. The cat playing with the dolphin looked exactly like one of our cats.
yeah well truth be told and we (you’s) me’s the neighbor’s was starving,, “taste like chicken to me””””” or may we just go for the sea weed,,,,, am I wrong…..
1,000 lb. blue fin 50 years 200 lb blue fin now…
Japan (don’t get me wrong,I love most Japanese culture…and even have a feeling I may of lived there in a past life…I love Japan) is the country that is the focus of the movie “The Cove”,with the annual dolphin slaughter and their love of Whale meat.They still feed Whale meat to school children in parts of Japan today,and in the movie they show by testing samples of “Whale” meat,that some of it is actually dolphin meat,which has been switched,because it’s cheaper to kill dolphins,and it’s hard to tell the difference in the meat,in taste and texture,when it’s packaged in shrink wrap on the supermarket shelves.
The irony is that the dolphins are so full of mercury from the polluted seas around Japan that their kids are being poisoned from eating the dolphin/whale meat.
Not only that,but in this annual slaughter,these criminals sell the dead dolphins for something like $200 dollars each for meat…and the very few dolphins that they let live,they sell for up to $200 000 to marine parks around the world,so people can pay to see these creatures in captivity,performing tricks.
What you’re talking about here is why dolphin researchers often leave the field. Did you read that story we posted awhile back called a life-changing dolphin synchro? The woman was a marine biologist and left the field because of what you’re talking about here, captive dolphins.
I haven’t read that story,but the irony of “The Cove” is that the main guy responsible for this film (and more or less the star of this film) is Ric O’Barry,the guy who trained the dolphins for the 60’s TV show “Flipper”.Here’s a synopsis of the film pinched word for word from the Wikipedia entry on “The Cove” to give readers an idea of what the film is about;
Synopsis
The film follows former dolphin trainer Ric O’Barry’s quest to document the dolphin hunting operations in Taiji, Wakayama, Japan. In the 1960s, O’Barry helped capture and train the five wild dolphins who shared the role of “Flipper” in the hit television series of the same name. The show, a pop-culture phenomenon, fueled widespread public adoration of dolphins, influencing the development of marine parks that included dolphins in their attractions. After one of the dolphins, in O’Barry’s opinion, committed a form of suicide in his arms by closing her blowhole voluntarily in order to suffocate, O’Barry came to see the dolphin’s captivity as a curse, not a blessing. Days later, he was arrested off the island of Bimini, attempting to cut a hole in the sea pen in order to set free a captured dolphin.[7] Since then, according to the film, O’Barry has dedicated himself full-time as an advocate on behalf of dolphins around the world.
After meeting with O’Barry, Psihoyos and his crew travel to Taiji, Japan, a town that appears to be devoted to the wonder of the dolphins and whales that swim off its coast. In a nearby, isolated cove, however, surrounded by wire fences and “Keep Out” signs, an activity takes place that the townspeople attempt to hide from the public. In the cove, a group of Taiji fishermen engage in dolphin drive hunting. The film states that the dolphin hunt is, in large part, motivated by the tremendous revenue generated for the town by selling some of the captured dolphins to aquariums and marine parks. The dolphins that are not sold into captivity are then slaughtered in the cove and the meat is sold in supermarkets. According to anecdotal evidence presented in the film, most Japanese are unaware of the hunt or the marketing of dolphin meat. The film states that the dolphin meat contains dangerously high levels of mercury and profiles local politicians who have, for that reason, advocated the removal of dolphin meat from local school lunches.
Attempts to view or film the dolphin killing in the cove are physically blocked by local volunteers who treat the visitors with open intimidation, derision, and anger. Foreigners who come to Taiji, including The Cove’s film crew, are shadowed and questioned by local police. In response, together with the Oceanic Preservation Society, Psihoyos, O’Barry, and the crew utilize special tactics and technology to covertly film what is taking place in the cove.[8] The film also reports on the alleged “buying” by Japan of votes in the International Whaling Commission. The film indicates that while Dominica has withdrawn from the IWC, Japan has recruited the following nations to its whaling agenda: Cambodia, Ecuador, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau, Kiribati, Laos, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. This is not entirely accurate, however, as Ecuador has been a strong opponent of whaling.[9] [10] At the end of the film, O’Barry marches into a meeting of the Commission carrying a TV showing footage of the Taiji dolphin slaughter. O’Barry walks around the crowded meeting room displaying the images until he is escorted from the room.
This film is a must see for anyone who loves dolphins.
Megans art is beautiful. She really captures the reflective nature of water to set the mood. The dolphin’s eye is wise and sad to me.
2 days ago I was reading Deities and Dolphins, by Nelson Glueck, about the archeological digs he did in Jordan, near Petra. The Nabataeans (300 BC – 200 AD) were an amazing culture that thrived in the desert. Their temples were stone monuments to dolphins. The have a dolphin Goddess. They believed that the dolphins guided their souls through the after life. https://nabataea.net/gods.html
You had to ride a horse or camel to visit the main temple.
Japan, yes. The headline news this morning is that the Japanese authorities have elevated the nuclear disaster level to 7, the same as Chernobyl. We’ve all known this. It just took them this long to admit it. And they continue to dump radioactive water into the ocean by the thousands of tons. I’m with Trish. Something inside me screams in anguish when I allow myself to think about the ramifications of this and when we see whales and dolphins and other beautiful entities washed ashore on our beach. To actually be here and be able to touch these beached creatures is agony. On a happier (somewhat) subject, the COLORS in Megan’s work are simply breath-taking. I meant to mention that earlier. And like Sansego and everyone else, I’m in limbo about my feelings. In some ways it’s good to have the creatures safely in captivity in a home-like environment, and in some ways, it curtails their freedom. Such a difficult dilemma, with no easy answers. My particular issue is more with circus animals: lions, tigers, elephants, rather than those such as bears and otters and seals and other critters whose homes in enormous zoos and wildlife preserves are protected safe havens and they are able to roam to their heart’s content. There are times when I find myself wondering if we humans on this planet are the experiments of some other species, but don’t like my mind to take me to that thought.
I love her painting of the dolphin! Very profound and heartbreaking. I’m kind of mixed on the whole idea of captivity. How many dolphins died in the BP oil spill last year? What we’re doing to our oceans is a larger travesty than having dolphins and killer whales in captivity. And I keep thinking about Fukushima and the havoc that will have on sealife around Japan.
Mixed here, too, Sansego. I hate thinking about what the radioactivity is doing to the ocean and all that lives in it.
Yes, his new book. I have it in my cart for Amazon, not available on Kindle yet.
another book for my ever expanding list of must reads!
As I commented earlier, I am thrilled when creatures of the wild are rescued and treated when they are sick or injured. Sometimes they are then recovered sufficiently to be released back into their natural habitat; sometimes they must remain in captivity. This happens with some frequency on our beach, as well as with the FL Game and Wildlife folks here who oversee the protection of birds, sealife, and all such entities. I agree 100% with Terri that the sea entities are the more highly evolved inhabitants of this planet, and what a glorious world we will perhaps someday achieve when the frequencies of the human species shift into their highest potential. Studying Megan’s hypnotic, spellbinding work, I honestly believe there is a message in its exquisite presentation, if we are open to the message.
I sent her the link to this post. She’ll love these insights.
Her artwork is just amazing. She has captured much more than she intended, I think. The video is so sweet. As you know, I have received thousands of hits on my blog on the dolphin vs human intelligence post (which was really just a link.) I believe we feel something for dolphins on a very fundamental level that is just coming to the surface of our consciousness. Hank Wesselman, writer of Bowl of Light, said that the great Kahuna, Hale Kealohalani Makua, who finally allowed some of the ancient wisdom of the Polynesian people to be written, it is all oral history, said that we came from the stars eons ago. That we have had guardians here who are about to leave the earth now that their job is finished, and left Wesselman to figure out who they could be on his own. Wesselman is an anthropologist and after much thought, asked Makua if it could be the dolphins and whales because they are the only ones with brains big enough. Makua said yes – the are our guardians.
Maybe we are sensing that on some level.
Everything you say about whales and dolphins resonates strongly for me, Nancy. When I see photos of beached dolphins, a part of me just screams with anguish. Is Bowl of Light Wasselman’s new book?
These are awesome presentations! Utterly beautiful. The Elvis connection is a treasure.
I have a different feeling from the second group, the prison bars do not feel to me as what holds a dolphin in captivity but as the barrier we have from the spirit of these creatures. If (when) we can connect with them in their true and natural environment there will be no need for dolphins to subject themselves for observation and analysis by landlocked humans. Marine life is the more evolved species on this planet and I honor their desire to submit to our limits.
Great insight, Terri, thanks. I like your take on the prison bars.
If I’m remembering this correctly, some of the dolphins at the facility were there because they had been injured.
yes there R+T very nice paintings,, yes they are,, as for Elvis,, you know Rob,, the Deans lived across the street,, and then them gosh darn “bodachs”, but to your comments of it looking like a prison CJ,, yeah,, yet maybe a thought would go to that’s the nature of the physical plan,,, just a matter of size… Any body listened to J.V. on coast to coast last night,, might like to think he was nabbing some of bozo’s thoughts,, but then again common sense wouldn’t be exclusive and would hate to get on the guys bad side…. sometimes a whoot and sometimes “not complicated”
megan is a true artist, beautiful work!!! i too feel sadness at the dolphin ‘behind bars’, strange indeed how that happened…
I just want to make certain my previous comment wasn’t misunderstood. Megan is a superb creative individual, (like her parents!). My remark was reflecting the heartache I feel when viewing such a wondrous creature looking back at me from what appear to be prison bars. However, I truly believe this happened for a purpose and that Megan was the human intrument of the (divine) art that brought a spectacular point home for all of us who are inhabiting this planet.
The second of Megan’s paintings has such a feeling of sadness – she has unintentionally (or subliminally) created something special, which says so much about dolphins in captivity. The look in the dolphin’s eye is haunting. And Elvis lives on … great synchro!
Unlike Darren, I am deeply disturbed when I look at the picture of the dolphin behind the bars. It speaks to me of imprisonment and loss of freedom. But, I do have an issue with bringing creatures of the wild into captivity to be viewed like freaks in a circus. (Our home is nine miles north of Marineland) I am always so thrilled when the Wildlife folks are able to recue an injured or sick critter and assist it to health, then release it back into its natural habitat. I guess beauty is in the eyes and heart of the beholder. Megan did a magnificent job with her thesis project, and I think it demonstrates subtleties that would not otherwise have been visible. Great work, Megan!
Re:
“Unlike Darren, I am deeply disturbed when I look at the picture of the dolphin behind the bars.”
Who said that I’m not disturbed by it?
Great art can be disturbing
(take Frida Kahlo’s art for example;
https://www.frida-kahlo-foundation.org/the-complete-works.html
Tell me some that’s not disturbing,but don’t tell me it’s not great)
I,too think animals were born to be free,especially birds.Nothing disturbs me more than seeing a creature with wings locked in a tiny cage,and people thinking how cute it looks.Can you imagine the irony of having wings,and being locked in a tiny cage that you could barely walk around ?
Anyone who has seen “The Cove” would see how I view dolphins in captivity,and Megan’s picture sums it up pretty well.
I agree about art. Some of my favorites are disturbing. I’m apparently going to have to netflix the cove!
incredibly beautiful images of megan’s – her concept of the project is also incredible – love it! that said – the result of this formatting of the images is breathtaking in what we see – you know, the top image, to me, reminds me of the cross-hairs of a rifle scope – and is so reflective of the way our culture seems to view the magnificent creatures of the planet – and the “prison bar” image literally takes my breath away! an incredible presentation all the way around – the thesis committee cannot help but be moved by it – and to find elvis again! what a synchro! and what an adorable interaction of the kitty and the dolphins! now, i’m so ready to pack for florida!!! such a great post, you two!
I love how that “dolphins behind what looks like prison bars” painting turned out
(maybe it was a subconscious thing on Megan’s part…or maybe it was just an accident) but either way,this is how great art is made .
Has Megan seen “The Cove” yet? I think after the initial shock of watching this movie she would see what a great film it was.
Love the cat and dolphin clip by the way.They are two of my favourite animals on the planet 🙂
We haven’t seen the cove yet. I’ll recommend it to her, too. The subconscious thing is probably true, Daz. I think she has some conflicts in that area!