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1st February 2019

A new contemporary art exhibition that brings together a selected group of national and international artists who explore and question the authenticity of whale representations opens in the Hull Maritime Museum, this February.

Dates

  • 5 February – 22 April 2019, Hull
  • 6 February – 27 March 2019, Leeds

Considering whales’ damaged past, their threatened present and speculative futures are also key elements of the exhibition.

Here Be Whales includes drawings, sculpture, collage, textile, video and writing, featuring the work of Helen Cann, Martha Cattell, Angela Cockayne, Filippa Dobson, Hondartza Fraga, Caroline Hack, Sophia Nicolov, Marina Rees and Kathy Prendergast.

The wide range of mediums and artists reflect the myriad ways in which humans endeavour to understand cetaceans through cultural methods. It offers an intersection with current dialogues around the species and encourages debate and thinking about their futures.

Co-curator and artist Martha Cattell, said: “Hull and the Maritime Museum offer the perfect host for such an exhibition, as it offers a chance to reflect on Hull’s past whaling history, which at its peak in the 1820s employed around 2,000 people.

“The museum’s collections hold many relics from this era, including the skeleton of a North Atlantic Right whale. Whilst at the same time the exhibition offers a chance to think about the current status of cetaceans, which are now often used as markers for the varied environmental threats facing ocean ecosystems.”

Councillor Marjorie Brabazon, Chair of Hull Culture and Leisure, said: “We are excited to welcome this fascinating exhibition at the Maritime Museum exploring the many different forms of whales in a range of artworks. We have a rich history of whaling in Hull and this exhibition complements our strong collections.”

Curated by: Martha Cattell, Hondartza Fraga and Sophia Nicolov

The exhibition is also running in the Porch Gallery, Left Bank Leeds, from 6 February to 27 March 2019, Open 10am – 6pm every Wednesday.

Events at Left Bank Leeds

Wednesday 27 March: Talking Arts: Here Be Whales, 6pm-7.30pm and Left Bank Cinema: The Whale Rider, 8pm

To read more about the exhibition see: https://herebewhales.wordpress...