One Dive

"The whales in the Mediterranean inhabit one of the world’s busiest marine areas, where approximately 15% of global sea trade and traffic pass through less than 1% of the ocean’s surface. The Pelagos Sanctuary stands as the Mediterranean’s sole area dedicated to protecting whales and their habitats. Despite this, during a week-long expedition to the sanctuary with marine biologists from the Tethys Research Institute, Anna Favaretto did not spot a single whale. Since population data relies on visual sightings, which construct an abstract reality of the animals’ world at the water’s surface, and environmental protection hinges on this knowledge, what rights do whales have to remain unseen?

One Dive, a multimedia installation, narrates the parallel worlds of shipping routes and whale habitats. By highlighting the ocean’s depths rather than its panoramic surface, the installation underscores the significance of acknowledging that the absence of whales is as consequential as their presence."