How do you interpret this whale sculpture made of ocean plastic? Some in Japan see it as anti-Japanese.

Hi everyone, this is my first time posting in this sub.

I’d like to ask for your perspective on an environmental art piece.

https://preview.redd.it/xnkne53w9kpf1.jpg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a73bbcf19d4d9f96065b082436d3b2eeb3af0280

https://preview.redd.it/5ph73m3w9kpf1.jpg?width=600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ae90ef4c70c719fbbff7397fcbee8e86c8a59ab2

https://preview.redd.it/lnpjim3w9kpf1.jpg?width=1067&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0bee135865925a44d7ab0ac43f7e75ad3ce98fbd

https://preview.redd.it/u9w10p3w9kpf1.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=79168f6d29797c50fc2c01cb4328ecf7e8dc3b08

https://preview.redd.it/ov0sgn3w9kpf1.jpg?width=1536&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=357c8070f9e5bd5c6ccb0b70a0872b2a40de890b

[Upon closer inspection, Japanese characters are carved into the scrap wood.](https://preview.redd.it/91u3fl5w9kpf1.jpg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b7361c0ab45272853ef34c4fd3804e11ec8ad4a5)

[Upon closer inspection, Japanese characters are carved into the scrap wood.](https://preview.redd.it/zhroz15w9kpf1.jpg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3fb615937911982b26e9b9c1a3da53da6e6fd509)

[Cleaning Process](https://preview.redd.it/0ccjzl3w9kpf1.jpg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d3fe091056ef7065a0322ff231b0866f797c4115)

[The state of accumulation](https://preview.redd.it/xqxa6wbw9kpf1.jpg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c6a42022ea8ca1483278eb1a54d2451bdc606ada)

This whale sculpture was created from ocean plastic debris. Many of the plastic items had Japanese writing on them, since a large amount of debris from the 2011 tsunami in Japan ended up drifting across the Pacific.

In Japan, some people have raised the concern that the art might be interpreted as anti-Japanese or even connected to anti-whaling or racial bias. [For example, here is a tweet making that claim](https://x.com/TWlistener999/status/1911396768031404472?t=uuY30drPD2etix_nYnxOhA&s=19)

Personally, I feel this is an over-interpretation and that the artist’s main point is to highlight the problem of marine plastic pollution.

So my question is: How do you, as viewers in the US/Europe, interpret this piece? Do you see any political or cultural message, or does it mainly read as an environmental statement?

Thank you for your thoughts!

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Commentaires

Littlecatfriend2025-09-16 21:25

[deleted]

Ah-honey-honey2025-09-16 23:22

https://group.canarywharf.com/press-release/whale-on-the-wharf-colossal-sculpture-arrives-in-canary-wharf-to-spotlight-ocean-plastic-crisis-10425/

Ah-honey-honey2025-09-16 23:28

Viewer in the US

First impression: pretty use of ocean litter. Didn't even notice Japanese writing without it being pointed out.

After reading about it: like you said a lot of this was collected after a tsunami. It looks like it was mostly picked up from Hawaii even though it's a UK piece. I *guess* the UK could have used their own beach and ocean litter instead but it just sounds like the materials were abundant and convenient to get elsewhere and still speaks to its intent "there's more plastic in the oceans than there are whales."

Reatona2025-09-16 23:46

Just seeing the sculpture, I wouldn't think it had anything to do with Japan. But a little anti-whaling bias is just fine with me.

alligatorislater2025-09-16 23:49

Think it’s a really good and moving piece of art, and making it out of ocean debris conveys the environmental impact perfectly.

Some people always have to be butt hurt or overly sensitive. Don’t think it was the artists intention to pick on Japan, that’s just the nature of the trash. Are there other pieces of trash that have other languages? If so that should be a counter point.

FracturedPrincess2025-09-17 12:22

It's just just being overly sensitive, they're defensive at the slightest mention of whales because they know their culture is wrong about whaling and can't admit it.

HobbitFlashMob2025-09-17 01:15

I think it's quite beautiful. So many sea animals die from ingesting plastic - so this seems like a very powerful statement. If some see it as anti- whaling then good - no one should be killing whales in this day and age - for any reason. They have a hard enough time existing without humans killing them too.

TijuanaSunrise2025-09-17 03:01

I think the concept, message, and execution are all wonderful and not at all anti-Japanese. I would suggest anybody who felt the image was anti-Japanese ask themselves “why does an image of a whale make me feel defensive?”

Independent-Leg60612025-09-18 17:12

This. It's still barbarically legal in Japan. Could be some latent guilt happening there. I think it's a gorgeous and stirring peice overall without targeting any group of ppl.

Alk3eyd2025-09-20 12:14

Right!!!! I absolutely don’t look at this and see anything to do with the Japanese. Sure, some of the trash has Japanese characters, but that’s not the point. And if they are feeling defensive and guilty about it, maybe they should ask themselves why they think this is an attack on them….it’s the while guilty conscience thing. They are worried that it MIGHT be interpreted that way, well…it seems like only they are the ones REALLY thinking that….

dustballz2025-09-17 08:46

Me thinks the "Japanese" protest too much..

kiwichick2862025-09-17 12:26

I'm a kiwi, didn't think it had anything to do with Japan but to do with universal consumerism and waste. If it does promote an antiwhaling message, then that's even better.

MGtech19542025-09-17 15:32

Maybe the artist could name the piece Tsunami 2011

Sangy1012025-09-17 19:29

These sculptures are part of a larger art project and there are thousands of different ones at zoos and aquariums around the world … so yeah, I wouldn’t read into it.

Eggshellpain2025-09-18 01:04

I don't think the materials having Japanese writing on them means anything specific if it was ocean trash collected from an area where the currents would wash things from Japan. Places along the US Pacific coast find quite a lot of Japanese things washed up because thats just how the ocean moves them. I follow a guy who collects floats and different things from Japanese fishing vessels that have washed up by his house.

I do think it could be seen as anti-whaling. We have more plastic in the ocean than whales, so stop killing them. I also don't think Japan has any defensible reason to still hunt whales or defin sharks or do a lot of the things they do. If they wanted to go whale hunt in a traditional boat with traditional weapons like some Arctic cultures do then maybe.

abgrongak2025-09-18 03:42

Both Japanese AND Chinese characters...

Ardnabrak2025-09-20 05:27

It's art. It can be viewed as all those things and more.

I feel like it is a message about the massive (like a whale) amounts of plastic waste polluting the oceans (where whales live). The amount of plastic is creating an extraordinary situation we can not ignore (Like a breaching whale).

watching_whatever2025-09-20 13:54

My take on the sculpture is that mankind in general has damaged the (ocean) environment and greatly damaged mammals/whales.

It’s a bold statement that clearly makes it point. Every human who eats mass caught fish or discards plastic is involved in this destruction, but the Japanese are involved in this atrocity more than most other lands.

Is it beautiful, …perhaps not, but perhaps it should not be and is absolutely made right now. Where should it be placed and should more similar be made for other locations are my questions?

1porridge2025-09-20 16:09

And what's bad about being anti-whaling? I'm so fucking sick of people using their cultures as excuse to be kill the planet. If a part of your culture is unsustainable (like whaling), that part should die.

taylorbagel142025-09-20 18:12

I’m not sure about this piece in particular ( although it’s gorgeous) but I grew up in Monterey and am a lifelong aquarium member. They have similar art made of plastic (smaller scale though) and I’ve seen people’s reactions to it many times. It sends a really powerful message about plastic pollution. The MBAq does a lot of lobbying work, both state and federal, to protect our oceans and I know people donate to them after seeing those art pieces in the aquarium.