For Ishmael, the main character in Moby Dick, whaling was a indeed a noble and necessary profession. And the great leviathan, or the whale, was pursued closely and hunted carefully.
Now, the tides have turned sharply in cultural attitudes about whaling. International and marine laws that make whale hunting illegal would probably make Melville turn in his Woodlawn Cemetery grave in the Bronx, NY.
In Melville’s classic novel Moby Dick, whales were hunted for the oil that their bodies produced. Oil could be bought and sold in local marketplaces, making whaling captains, harpooners, and shipmates, a bit richer.
Now, organizations are actively working to prohibit illegal hunting of maritime animals. Even as Melville alludes to in the greatest work of American fiction, humanity’s vain contention with nature and her grandest creatures will never truly be successful.
“Roll on, thou deep and dark blue ocean, roll! Ten thousand blubber-hunters sweep over thee in vain,” writes Melville.
Alas, centuries later, whale hunters are still fighting a perpetually never winning battle. As Melville’s novel unfolds, the reader becomes chiefly aware of the man’s vulnerabilities as he meddles with nature’s affairs.
Whale hunters didn’t win in the day’s of Ishmael who road along the Pequod ship, directed by the “not sick, but not quite well,” Captain Ahab.
The grand leviathan and the pervasive vindictiveness that the whale instilled in Captain Ahab, was vaster than the depths of the Earth’s deepest waters.
Yet still, whale captains and hunters take up the battle of Captain Ahab, and seek to take arms against a still more powerful leviathan.
As whales are a tough animal to contend with, some whale hunters are a tough crew to send a clear message to.
Whaling hunting is threatening endangered species and the future of whales on planet Earth. They must be stopped.
But who could stop a crazed captain with an eye on overdue vengeance for a single whale in the Pacific? Who will truly stop whale hunters now?
What would Melville say if he encountered the action of leading organizations that are organized to stop whale hunting?
Would he support the profession that drove Ishmael to the seven seas?
Or, would he take a stand against the institution of whale hunting for once and for all?
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]]>Travel all seven seas, cruise the Mediterranean, and back again right from your computer, simply by clicking on our Flickr page.
At WaterWideWeb, we’re using social media tools to raise awareness about the importance of protecting and sustaining the world’s water resources.
Check out The Photo Journal of an Oregonian, which features pristine lakes and ponds in the Pacific Northwest.
You can also enjoy phenomenal shots of underwater life and coral reefs in the album Panama ICBG Program. This entire set of photographs was shared with WaterWideWeb by lead investigators in the Panama International Cooperative Program working on drug discover in Panama.
Currently, we have over 300 member in our Flickr Group, and we anticipate that these numbers will grow exponentially in the coming weeks.
Help us raise awareness about the significance of water resource stewardship. Join us on Flickr! Engage in discussion with professionals from around the world who are donating their artwork to make a stand about appropriate water stewardship.
Statistics and estimates about water insecurity can be mind numbing to some people. That’s why we are using creative art to reach all members of our readership.
A picture is worth a thousand words. And a good one, could be mean a thousand more supporters for the sustainable use of the world’s water resources.
If you would like to submit photographs for publication on WaterWideWeb’s Flickr account, please email photos and appropriate credits to: [email protected]
The photograph above was taken by one of WaterWideWeb’s biggest supporters, Daniel Graff
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]]>This collection of water baptism photographs captures a time period in American history that is seldom written about in history books or presented in lectures. The significance of water to many religious groups is rooted in faith practices dating back centuries.
This unique collection offers viewers a glimpse back to a time when religious fervor and ritual created public events of great significance to religious communities in the South and the West. River baptisms, a ceremony performed by Protestant sects of Christianity, were particularly important for African-American communities at the time.
The socio-economic crisis that followed the period of Reconstruction, segregation, and the economic downturn of the early Twentieth Century sparked a revivalist movement in the rural South and the Western United States.
Photographs included in the exhibition show water baptism ceremonies and the droves of community members who gathered to witness these events. It was believed that living, flowing water was the only way to baptize a person. Therefore, most of the ceremonies were typically organized in the warmer months of the year.
The development of penny photography in 1905 and the Rural Free Delivery system offered a new way to share the images of these important events with loved ones in different states. However, some of the postcards of the river baptisms were used to mock and oppress the already beleaguered African-American community.
Post cards sent by white onlookers to family members in other states were scrawled with comments, ridiculing the ceremonies and the charismatic preaching that accompanied them. The Protestant sects of Christianity, who practice full body immersion in baptism, were mocked as “Dunkers” or “Dippers” by those who did not follow the same faith tradition.
“Take Me to the Water: Photographs of River Baptisms” depicts these rites and the evidence of how they sparked a new sort of racial discrimination, one that did not involve direct threat or verbal assault. Oddly, the unique use of water in a sectarian rite separated and oppressed an already marginalized community.
The evolution of water baptisms and the use of water in religious ceremonies is shifting in socio-cultural practices in present day society. The use and meaning of water, whether public or private, changes throughout the centuries. And with these changes, an opportunity exists to either join or separate otherwise equal groups of people.
Photo Credit: International Center of Photography
11 Unidentified Photographer
[River Baptism, Lexington, Missouri] 1906
Gelatin Silver Print Postcard
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The photograph to the top right is a magnificent shot of Mento’s hand sprinkled with droplets of water from the Nile River in Africa. As Mento dips his hand into the water of the world’s longest river, one asks, “Will there come a day, when every hand of every member of the African Diaspora can feel the gentle rush of the Nile River?”
This photograph reminded Mento of the famous poem, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” by renowned African-American poet, Langston Hughes. In the poem, Hughes reflects on his intimate familiarity with the River Euphrates in Asia, The Nile River in Africa, and the Mississippi River in the United States.
Throughout the work, Hughes alludes to the African-American experience with respect to rivers. At the conclusion of the poem, Hughes writes, “My soul has grown deep like the rivers.” Mentos’ life parallels the poem by Hughes. He was born in Ghana, along the west coast of Africa. Now, he resides in New York City, close to the historic Hudson River.
Mento is well acquainted with the flow of rivers and water. He knows life along the banks of rivers in different parts of the world. And his photography is evidence of that.
"Bad Boy" by Les Mento
In the photograph to the left, Mento captures a boy fishing in Ghana. The picture is taken in black and white versus color like the other photos that Mento provides. Ironically, the boy’s shirt reads “Bad Boy”. But one looks at this picture and sees everything but a bad boy. The youth’s hands are full of fishing equipment. Waves crash in the distance. But, there are no fish in his hands.
Life along this river is very different than life along other rivers. For this young boy, the water is a source of food and most likely income as well. This picture shows the importance of the water on life for the young boy. Is his fishing journey just beginning or is he returning home? Mento leaves viewers with innumerable questions with this intriguing photograph.
The photograph to the bottom right was taken from Mento’s collection of photos from a recent visit to Ghana. Waves crash onto the shores of a sandy beach. There’s a single set of footprints in the sand and one wonders who walked along this beautiful beach? Was he or she tempted to swim in the beautiful ocean? Or did he or she prefer to leave the majestic beauty of the ocean tide undisturbed?
"Ghana" by Les Mento
The work of Les Mento touches upon history and modern life along the world’s rivers. His creative references to literature and culture engage viewers on an artistic excursion that surpass a mere glimpse at a still image. Mento draws parallels between history, art, and culture in his work. With a click of his camera, onlookers sojourn from the shores of the Nile River, to the coastline of Ghana and back again.
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Water and Art: The Work of Diane Churchill
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]]>In the last year, Churchill’s work has transitioned from themes surrounding nature and landscape to imagery of water. Churchill uses creative materials such as large sponges, mop strings, towels, and mica to deliver colorful canvasses of water themes that are exceptionally unique.
In the photgraph to the top right, Churchill captures the forms water takes as it ebbs and flows. She addds details including splashes of color and bubbles which create an exciting visualization of water in nature.
Churchill completed this painting by using an underlayer of gesso applied thickly in some places and lightly in others. She used a large mop to create the splashing water effect and a sponge to define the bubble in the gesso layer. The piece has great use of color, shading, and texture.
After the gesso dried, Churchill applied another layer of paint. “The exuberant nature of falling water was created by gesso layers underneath”, said Churchill. She also placed chips of mica in the lower left corner with a thin layer of yellow paint beneath to replicate the way water sparkles in the light.
A piece in Diane Churchill's series on Water
In the picture to the left, Churchill emphasized the downward flow of water through colorful shades of blue and additional texture embellishments. A layer of gesso was applied with a towel in sections to acheive this affect. The gesso layers were applied to represent the way water falls in a downward motion with the pull of gravity. “My pieces look as if they were completed in a fleeting moment of spotanaeity. But, it took a lot to get there”, said Churchill.
Churchill used three layers of paint to show a pattern of light captured by water. A gloss medium was applied in the upper left corner of the image for a pronounced effect of light on water. Churchill used plain paper and pieces of thick cream paper to surround the image. “I want to isolate the colorful cascades of blue. Water is main theme in this piece and should stand alone”, said Churchill.
The work of Diane Churchill is intriguing because she explores an innovative method of creating art. In Churchill’s former work, the sun and its power was a main focus. One can observe the transition of her new journey into the exploration of water through her technique of layered gesso and paint. Surely, Churchill’s work offers a new perspective on water art. She interprets and represents the various properties of water in a way that challenges viewers to see water in a new light.
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Water and Art: The Work of Leah Poller
Water and Art: The Work of Sonni Suryatmojo
Poller has fused her abilities as a sculptor and wordsmith in her series the 101 Beds Collection, commenced after Poller suffered a back injury that left her bed ridden and forced to work on smaller scale. The injury and sentence to bed rest gave birth to a fascinating collection of sculpture.
The time that Poller spent in bed inspired her to further understand human interactions with the bed. “Exploring this in three dimensions has given full scope to my sense of humor, pathos, whimsy, sarcasm, tragedy and passion”, said Poller.
The photograph to the top right is a picture of Poller’s piece Waterbed, the first sculpture of the 101 Beds Collection. Cleverly, Poller incorporates fixtures found in a bathroom, including a spigot and piping as the head of the bed. Both of these details indicate that the Waterbed is a piece of art full of metaphoric meaning.
The photograph to the left pictures Poller’s piece entitled Hogwash. The intricacies and humor in this sculpture demonstrate the evolution of Poller’s thinking. In the bronze sculpture, pigs or hogs are crawling around a bunk bed. Poller explored the various meanings for the word “bunk” in the Webster Dictionary and learned that “hogwash” is another term for bunk.
At the head of the bed overtop the bunk is a shower nozzle. Comically, Poller creates visual play on words with this work. The hogs in the sculpture are literally being washed under the nozzle at the top of the bed.
Artists, novices and professionals alike appreciate Poller’s work. In September of this year, Poller presented Hogwash at the Governor’s Island Art Fair. The humor in her pieces was most quickly identified by children. “Children are less constrained. They can call a spade, a spade, without feeling bashful about it,” said Poller.
Poller’s work continues to inspire artistic innovations, using her sculpture as a malleable discipline that shifts at the hands and the heart of the artist. An eye for creativity and a commitment to complete a piece of work is the key to works like Poller’s. The translation of water themes in her work are evidence that water and activities around water can be curious, interesting, and sculpture worthy.
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Water and Art: The Work of Sonni Suryatmojo
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Suryatmojo was born in Singkawang, Indonesia. The name of his hometown, Singkawang, means “a city nearby a sea or estuary” in English. One wonders if Suryatmojo was born to photograph nearby waters and city life.
In 1995, Suryatmojo graduated with a degree in architecture and visual arts from Merdeka University in Indonesia. Currently, he works for Ragaka Design.
Photo Credit: Sonni Suryatmojo
In the photo to the right, an ocher colored house with a magenta rooftop is settled near marshy wetlands. The color contrast between the ocher colored house and the surrounding green landscape catches the viewer’s eye. One’s curiosities are immediately sparked.
Questions arise about who would live in such a beautiful home settled in a rural countryside and why they would choose to live there, mystify the viewer. The house looks fit for a fairytale more so than for daily living with its color scheme. In this photo, one sees the influence of Suraytmojo’s upbringing in the South Pacific. The relationship between daily life, the water, and existence are fused in this remarkable work.
Photo Credit: Batu Burung Bridge by Sonni Suryatmojo
The photo to the left is entitled Batu Burung Bridge. Suryatmojo presents the viewer with an image of a bridge over still waters. Hues of purple, blue and gray add a numinous element to the picture. Clearly, the photograph was taken at dawn, seconds before sunrise. One wonders what travelers will cross the bridge in the coming day. What will their cargo include and will they pass the bridge a second time before sunset, are questions that roam in the mind of the onlooker of this work.
One also wonders where the bridge leads to on either end. It was constructed with basic materials and only one vehicle can drive along the bridge at a time. One can assume that major trucks and industrialized areas are far from this bridge.
If you were crossing the Batu Burung Bridge of Suryatmojo, where would it take you and why would you want to go there?
Photo Credit: Gold and Grey City by Sonni Suryatmojo
In the photo to the right, City of Gold and Grey, viewers are again drawn to the color contrast between ocher and shades of gray and white. In this photograph, Suryatmojo draws a connection between life in the South Pacific and commercialism. The distant ports and small boats indicate that the sea trade is integral to the local community.
In the distance, one can see a family riding a boat toward the port city of gold and grey. The boat is small and everything but luxurious. The economic climate of the Gold and Grey City comes into question with this imagery. Perhaps, the deliberate use of grey and white color schemes represents people who are financially strained, while the wealthier inhabitants are represented by the ocher colored rooftops.
Suruyatmojo touches upon several themes in his work, including mystism, economics, and commercialism. His photography is informative without words. His work is evocative with subtle use of color and intricate detail. Suryatmojo, the architect from Singkawang, merges photography, social awareness and art in an exciting new perspective, offering viewers the opportunity to view life in a new lens.
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]]>Nature photography is as important now as it ever was. As the Earth’s temperature gets warmer, natural wonders like waterfalls, lakes, and rivers are slowly disappearing. Nature photographers capture shots of landscapes that are threatened by global climate change. If action isn’t taken to stop climate change, some photographs of nature will be the only memory that human kind has of famous bodies of water.
Esteban Cahuimpan is a professional photographer who finds inspiration from the scenery of his beautiful homeland, Patagonia, Argentina. On his hiking and mountain climbing ventures, Cahuimpan snaps photographs of pristine rivers and waterfalls.
The photograph at the top right is entitled Lake Mirror. This lake is nestled in the mountains of Argentina, far from industrialization and deforestation. The serene waters of Lake Mirror are crystal clear.; the glassy surface of the lake reflects the floating clouds in the blue sky above the lake.
In his photo Iguaza Falls, Cahuimpan highlights the dualism of the Argentine experience. “You can have sweetness or bitterness at any time of day here in Argentina”, says Cahuimpan. One can experience both sensations in the metropolitan cities or remote countryside’s of Argentina. In Iguaza Falls, Cahuimpan captures this reality with the vast waterfall in the background, and a spice pot at the forefront of the photograph.
In the photo to the bottom right entitled Lago Nahuel Huapi, Cahuimpan again focuses on the rustic beauty of Patagonia. This pastoral motif is a central theme in his work;. the mountains, lakes, and trees in the picture catch the grandeur of this Argentinean paradise.
Photographers like Cahuimpan work to preserve the cultural richness and diversity of their environment. For artists like Cahuimpan, nature itself is the very essence of their inspiration. It’s as if the muses sing to Cahuimpan from the mountaintops of Argentina, begging him to capture the magnificence of their appearance. If Cahuimpan wasn’t working to save the images of this paradise, who would?
Global climate change is a threat to humanity and the environment. Life, on all levels, hangs in the balance of the rising temperature of the climate. Will Cahuimpan’s Patagonia retain the beauty that it boasts of now if the world continues to get warmer?
Water and Art: The Work of Biliana Rakocevic
Water and Art: The Work of Monique Nerman
]]>In 2004, her work was incredibly popular because of her unique photographs of water drops with reflection. These photos were completed without the use of Photoshop Software. Biliana has sold 13 if her photographs to the Sinalco Drinks Company of Germany.
Silverina by Biliana Rakocevic
The photograph to the left is entitled Silverina. It is from Biliana’s DropS Art collection. Silver rings are intertwined and covered with droplets of water. A bed of water drops cushions the silver rings. The viewer is left to wonder if the sliver rings are engagement rings or wedding rings.
In Silverina, the reality of eternity is explored. The silver rings symbolize the cyclical nature of life and love. Perhaps one will view the photo and think of two souls intertwined forever. The droplets of water may be the tears of happiness and joy that are shed when one is in love.
Blue Water Diamond by Biliana Rakocevic
In the photograph to the right, entitled Blue Water Diamond, an emerald diamond sinks into a sea of royal blue currents. Blue Water Diamond is a photograph from Biliana’s BiWaterizm collection.
The emerald green and royal blue color scheme contrast in the photograph and create a stark clarity between the diamond and the water.
In this photograph, the viewer is reminded of the beautiful treasures that lie deep within the depths of the sea. Tales of buried treasure and rare jewels hidden in the recesses of the ocean come to mind with this exceptional photograph by Biliana.
The diamond in the photograph could signify a commitment made between two lovers. Interestingly, the water currents make the diamond appear blurred. One is reminded of the complex emotions that obscure rationale when someone falls in love with another person.
Rose Drops by Biliana Rakocevic
Rose Drops is a work of Biliana from her collection entitled Natural Drops. Here, droplets of water remain intact on the petals of a magenta rose. This photograph differs from the former pieces because of the nature theme in the photograph.
The rose is the flower of love and one wonders if the rose was sent as a gift from a lover or as a reminder of a love gone by.
Still one could interpret Rose Drops as a completely non-romantic image. The photograph captures the role of water in sustaining floral life. “I think every part of creation is amazing and beautiful” says Biliana.
Others will imagine that the rose was showered in raindrops from a storm. For them, the droplets are a reminder of the exquisite moments that follow life’s rainstorms. Sometimes, people overlook the wonder of droplets on a rose petal. Biliana focuses on still and simple moments in life that are full of meaning.
Currently, Biliana works at the National Library of Serbia. She is a Web Administrator and translator of French to English. She can be reached at [email protected].
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Have you ever wondered what life was like under the sea? Painter Monique Nerman explores nautical themes in her work and intricately elaborates on the mystical aspect of life by the sea.
The sea has always been a major part of Nerman’s life. She learned to free dive with her father as a child and also held positions as an underwater camera operator and professional scuba diver.
In several of her pieces, Nerman paints mermaids, the fairy-tale creatures that roam the depths of the sea. With exquisite use of color, attention to detail and smooth strokes, Nerman creates a whimsical universe of exotic mermaids. “I take the colors and patterns from the tropical seas and make them my own with my paintings”, says Nerman.
There is a sexual undertone that celebrates survival and the cycle of life as these carefully painted creatures come to life on canvas and intrigue the viewer. Onlookers are left to wonder, “What is life like under the sea?”
The World by Monique Nerman
In Nerman’s painting to the right entitled The World, onlookers create the world that they live in, adding and subtracting details of their surroundings as they see fit.
In the painting The World the body of the mermaid is designed with replicas of the country of Mexico, Cuba and the Bahamas.
In the center of the piece, golden dots are splashed to represent the Republic of the Maldives, where Nerman lived for 2 years and has shown several of her paintings. The Republic of the Maldives is an archipelago of 1200 islands. There, one is surrounded by the expanse of the sea and dependent upon the deep waters that border the islands.
In this painting, every brush stroke and embellishment depicts the fine points and seemingly irrelevant details that make up the world from an individual’s perspective.
Where Everyone Should Be by Monique Nerman
In the painting Where Everyone Should Be, the central theme is about finding a place of fulfillment and self-assurance in life, sentiments that everyone should feel.
The mermaid lays casually on the sands of the Saba island soaking up the sun. She is clearly happy with life by the water. The island represents youth. On the road from young to older and wiser, an array of emotions, memories, and dreams are left on the sands of reality. The ocean comes and washes away what life lessons and disappointments forced us to leave buried in the islands’ sands.
The piece was completed while Nerman lived in St. Maarten in the Caribbean. With this work, Nerman was inspired by the journey that ends in the comfort of knowing oneself and being pleased with it.
The first photo at the top right of the article is the work of Biliana Rakocevic
More of Monique Nerman’s work can be found at www.imagesbelow.com
If you were an artist, how would you paint the life with water as a theme?
With the idea of Nerman, how would your world look?
What would life by the sea look like to you?