Whales are an emblematic animal of the ocean. They sing in the sea, using sound waves to navigate and to communicate with their companions. The sound of the whales spreads through the water in the form of waves. Its repetition and expansion will vary as it encounters various obstacles in its path. A whale can sense the vibration of the sound in the upper water against their skin, and after receiving the vibration, it may answer by emitting waves across waves, towards their companions.

However, as the oceans have been continually industrialised, more and more man-made vessels have entered the ocean. Noise pollution from ships is also transmitted in the form of acoustic vibration, which interferes with whale signals, causing great disturbance to their courting, navigation and communication. The sources of this disruptive noise include undersea oil and gas exploration, shipping, and coastal development facilities. In December 2023, I went on a ship in the North Sea, off the coast of Norway, in search of a whale. The only way to see a whale is to search for it on a ship, however, you will never hear its calls, and the ship’s engine will be the only sound the whale will know of the people on the boat.

Oceanic Conversations explores the relationship between a whale and a ship, by playing the sounds of each of them through a container of water As soundwaves create water waves, an aesthetic of sound disturbance is created. Finally, the real-life experience of a whale sighting depicts how distant whales really are: and how discrete any “oceanic conversations” are, to the human senses.