Free online talk showcasing work in the Southern Ocean trails auction to support conservation
On Friday 7 July the South Georgia Heritage Trust and the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust are hosting a free, online talk about one of the world’s most iconic species – Orcas, or killer whales.
Southern Ocean Stories: The Orca’s Tale, provides a unique opportunity for the public to hear from two of the world’s leading whale experts about their work, and the fascinating insights it gives us into the life of these amazing creatures.
Speaking at the event will be ecologist, author and skipper Jared Towers, alongside Bay Cetology Director and marine biologist Leigh Hickmott of Open Ocean Consulting who is known as the killer whale specialist for the BBC’s Frozen Planet II series.
One of the world’s most iconic species – Orcas, or killer whales – in the Southern Ocean, are the subject of a new online talk hosted by the South Georgia Heritage Trust and UK Antarctic Heritage Trust.
The talk will look at how, by studying the movements, behaviour, abundance and ecology of killer whale populations using direct observations and remote sensing technology, we can tell the story of our changing environment. Guests will also hear about Jared and Leigh’s personal tales and experiences of working in Antarctic waters and the challenges that brings, all illustrated with their amazing photographs.
The event is being hosted by Alison Neil and Camilla Nichol, Chief Executives of the South Georgia Heritage Trust and UK Antarctic Heritage Trust respectively.
The event launches an online charity auction to raise funds towards conservation programmes that both organisations are undertaking in Antarctica and on the island of South Georgia.
The auction will include two fantastic expedition voyages to South Georgia and to Antarctica: G Adventures are donating a 22-day adventure voyage to South Georgia, the Antarctic and the Falkland Islands for two people, and Hurtigruten are donating a 12-day ‘Highlights of Antarctica’ expedition cruise for two people.
Alison Neil, CEO of the South Georgia Heritage Trust said: “We are delighted to be working with our friends at the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust on what will be a fascinating evening learning about enigmatic Orca, and also on an online charity auction to raise funds for conservation in South Georgia and the Antarctic.
“Along with our affiliate charity Friends of South Georgia Island, SGHT is currently supporting whale research projects in the region and is also working towards a landmark artwork celebrating the return of whales to South Georgia waters.”
Camilla Nichol, CEO of the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust said: “The orca is one of the emblematic creatures of the Southern Ocean, anyone who experiences seeing them cannot fail to be awed by the experience.
“It’s a huge privilege to be hosting this event when we can all learn more about these extraordinary creatures from leading experts. I hope that this will also inspire supporters old and new to get involved in our auction.
“We are hoping to raise funds to support the vital conservation work both of our organisations conduct to protect these special places in this most incredible part of our planet.”
As well as the headline prizes of the two adventure cruises, the auction also includes a wonderful selection of experiences and exclusive lots, from unique artworks by recognised Antarctic region artists to antiques and collectables.
Examples include:
A week’s home stay for up to four on the Isle of Lewis
Several unique artworks and signed prints by well recognised artists
Ephemera from Port Lockroy which has been a home for explorers, whalers, scientists, and sailors who have made vital contributions to the Antarctic
Signed books including antiquarian book ‘South’ by Sir Ernest Shackleton
A flag flown for a summer season at Port Lockroy, Antarctica
The auction lots will be available to browse after the event with bids needing to be placed before 19 July.
‘Southern Ocean Stories: The Orca’s Tale’ is taking place at 6pm (UK time) on Friday 7 July 2023. Attendance is free, and to book your ticket visit:
SOUTH GEORGIA AND IT’S WHALES NEED YOU NOWcrowdfunder
Conservation charity the South Georgia Heritage Trust (SGHT) has launched a new crowdfunding campaign: ‘South Georgia and its whales need you now’. It is designed to make the world’s most remote permanent art installationa reality and help fund vital research into global whale conservation and environmental management.
The art installation, Commensalis: The Spirit Tables of South Georgia, is the work of Scottish sculptor Michael Visocchi who won an international competition for his design. It will stand proud at Grytviken, an abandoned yet atmospheric former whaling on the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia, a small British Overseas Territory that lies over 1,500 km southeast of the Falkland Islands.
To make this artwork a reality, SGHT is now calling on members of the public to help. ‘South Georgia and its whales need you now’ allows anyone to play their part, by donating whatever amount they can afford via: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/south-georgia-whales/
South Georgia has been described as the ‘Serengeti of the Southern Ocean’ due to its incredible abundance of iconic wildlife.
This small island was also once the epicentre of the southern whaling industry but now is an ecosystem in recovery in large part thanks to herculean conservation efforts by many stakeholders, including SGHT, US-based affiliate charity Friends of South Georgia Island and project partners Albatros Expeditions and engineering firm WSP.
Commensalis will tell the remarkable story of this recovery, particularly focusing on South Georgia’s whales, from commemorating the loss of 175,000 individuals and the near extinction of several species by the 1960s, to their renaissance over the last decade.
Commensalis will serve as a powerful reminder that despite the catastrophic losses once experienced on South Georgia, ecological restoration is possible, and nature can heal when given the chance.
As well as helping fund this extraordinary artwork, exclusive rewards, including behind-the-scenes audio content from Michael Visocchi’s recent visits to South Georgia will be available to those who donate, offering a rare insight into this project, the artistic process and challenges of working on such a remote island.
10% of all donations via this campaign will also contribute to a new whale research fund, and once Commensalis is installed visitors will be encouraged to donate directly to this fund too.
At the heart of Commensalis are seven immense weathering steel circular tables. The Key Table depicts the numbers of whales that were processed at South Georgia, with the six Spirit Tables each representing a species of whale that were once hunted and whose numbers are now recovering thanks to decades-long conservation and environmental management.
The Spirit Tables are punctuated by c.17,000 stainless steel rivets in mesmerising patterns, with each symbolising a live whale or the spirit of a whale. Light will bounce off each one, illuminating the space and conveying a feeling of hope that is reflected in the growing numbers of whales in the waters around South Georgia.
WSP is generously supporting SGHT and Michael Visocchi by overseeing the complex task of transporting the artwork to the remote island and installing it.
The installation will be designed to withstand South Georgia’s extreme climate, ensuring that it remains in place for generations to come.
Artist Michael Visocchi was selected from over 150 international artists to take on this project in late 2020. Since then, Michael has worked closely with SGHT and WSP to finalise plans for the installation which has included two awe-inspiring visits to South Georgia to see the island for himself, and to engage with and understand the landscape, climatic conditions, and wider surroundings.
Michael Visocchi said: “South Georgia is a truly magnificent and magical place. Seeing its landscape and abundant wildlife was truly breath taking and feeling the island’s atmosphere was an experience like no other I’ve ever had.
“I feel hugely privileged to be the one creating Commensalis, which will undoubtably be both the most challenging yet most rewarding artwork of my career. I hope visitors respond to my vision and take with them a deeper understanding of this important story of global conservation”.
Alison Neil, CEO of the South Georgia Heritage Trust said:“Michael’s art installation will enrich the on-island experience of all who visit and will seamlessly tell the extraordinary story of South Georgia’s dark past to becoming a global beacon of hope as an ecosystem in recovery.
“Commensalis will enable visitors to dive more deeply into the island’s whaling heritage, which despite being a catastrophe for the island’s wildlife does form part of South Georgia’s history. We hope that with the help of the public Commensalis will soon be ready for the world to see.”
Humpback whales, southern elephant seals, vast colonies of king penguins and an array of seabirds all call South Georgia home, and have been showcased on major natural history documentaries including Frozen Planet, Blue Planet and Planet Earth. The island is also known for being the burial place of world-famous explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton.
SGHT has been working to conserve South Georgia’s natural and cultural heritage since 2005, which includes running the South Georgia Museum on behalf of the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI).
The small charity has delivered many successful on-island projects including the world’s largest rodent eradication project, which successfully removed invasive rodents which had almost pushed native birds to extinction.
South Georgia was declared ‘rodent free’ in 2018, thanks to the decade-long Habitat Restoration Project. SGHT now continues to work with the GSGSSI to ensure strict biosecurity procedures are enforced so that South Georgia’s10-15,000 annual visitors don’t inadvertently undo this amazing feat.
Creation of new digital platform to provide a space to share this important part of Scottish social history
Over the next two years, the South Georgia Heritage Trust and the South Georgia Museum, with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, will be working alongside a number of former whaling communities in Scotland to create The Whalers’ Memory Bank.
The Memory Bank will create a living, growing digital time capsule where veterans of the whaling industry, their families and communities can come together to contribute and share their stories with a wider audience.
The story of modern whaling in the Southern Hemisphere is a controversial one with British companies playing a key role in the industry. These companies had a largely Scottish workforce and attracted many working-class men with the promise of adventure and competitive wages.
Now, only a dwindling number of men survive that have first-hand memories of this industry, an integral part of Scottish social history. They are the last generation to be able to share their stories, knowledge and personal collections before they are lost forever.
Kicking off in July 2023, the project will run for two years and throughout this time the project team will work alongside former whaling communities to capture memories that will help create The Whalers’ Memory Bank.
At the heart of this will be a series of community events to gather stories and help shape the Memory Bank that those communities want to see and will value. It will also make the connection between why whaling happened, where it happened (a great deal of it on South Georgia), and where most of the whalers came from in Scotland.
Jayne Pierce, Project Director and Curator at the South Georgia Museumsaid: “Our aim is to create a digital portal that captures memories with photographs, oral histories, film and sounds, alongside a Virtual Reality tour of the whaling station on South Georgia. This work will be done using the existing collections held by the South Georgia Museum and will also link into several Scottish museums that are partners in this project.
“It is really going to be a joint effort, bringing together the former whalers and their communities to hear their stories and let them help shape the Memory Bank they really want to see. We know from the contact we already have with the former whaling communities that families are eager to share their personal collections – artefacts and photographs stored in attics, cupboards and drawers – each with a story to tell.
“We really hope the project will connect communities across local, national and international boundaries and dispel some of the myths around whaling. It will create a richer experience than a simple online database – dynamic rather than static – uplifting and celebratory.”
Gibbie Fraser, Chair of the Shetland ex-Whalers Association(SeA) hasstruggled to access archive material which can be restricted by charges and copyright. On the launch of the Whalers’ Memory Bank, he said: “The idea that the South Georgia Museum has about a shared archive to preserve what we can together is exactly what we were trying to do and welcome it with open arms!”
Caroline Clark, Heritage Fund Director for Scotland, said: “Thanks to the support of National Lottery players , we are pleased to be able to give funding to former whaling communities to capture their stories and explore this important untold story.
“We look forward to seeing the project develop as communities come together to share their memories and personal collections with each other and the wider world.”
The project is also a great opportunity to work with a small network of partner museums including the Scottish Fisheries Museum in Anstruther, the Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine, and Dundee Heritage Trust’s Verdant Works, all of which hold hidden whaling archives and collections that are enlightening, inspiring, and engaging.
As well as supporting with access to collections and stories, some of these organisations will also be involved in the community events the project will be developing for Spring 2024. The Shetland Maritime Heritage Society, Salvesen Ex-Whalers Club and the Shetland ex-Whalers Association will also be collaborating on the project.
Anyone interested in finding out more or getting involved with the project should email memorybank@sght.org
The original Main Store on the subantarctic island of South Georgia has opened to visitors for the very first time, after almost five years of sympathetic restoration and curation by the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI) and a UK charity, the South Georgia Heritage Trust (SGHT).
This small but significant British Overseas Territory, which lies in the Southern Ocean over 1,500km east of the Falkland Islands, was at the centre of the whaling industry but is now famed for its remarkable environmental recovery.
The Main Store is at the heart of the island’s principal settlement of Grytviken, an abandoned yet atmospheric former whaling station which ceased operations in the 1960s after decades of whaling.
Built in c.1920, the Main Store is one of the few remaining original structures to survive at the site, and the restoration of this important historic building now adds another layer to the rich cultural heritage that is being preserved on the island.
Between 1904 – 1965 over 175,000 whales were processed across South Georgia. For the whalers the hours were long, the work unpleasant and the weather harsh. But despite the island’s dark past, GSGSSI and SGHT are working to ensure that South Georgia’s human story is told.
Alongside the South Georgia Museum, which is owned by GSGSSI and managed by SGHT, the preservation and reopening of the Main Store mean that the 10-15,000 annual international visitors to South Georgia will get a rare insight into what life was like during the height of the whaling era in the mid-20th century.
There are lots of never-before-seen objects in the Main Store that visitors will be able see for the first time, including harpoon grenades, bone saws, blubber hooks and flensing knives, all essential tools used by whalers throughout the hunting and production process. There’s also thousands of rivets, nuts, bolts, pipes and steam pumps used to maintain and repair the factory, boilers, vessels and machinery.
Visitors can also see a mysterious small ceramic figure named ‘Nisse’, whose provenance and age is unknown. A firm favourite with the team on South Georgia and visitors alike, he’s the unofficial guardian of the Main Store, keeping a watchful eye when the team leaves over winter.
During the restoration every heritage item was retained, cleaned, and photographed and any modern items removed. The catalogue is available to view in the South Georgia Museum.
Jayne Pierce, SGHT Curator of the South Georgia Museum says:“The Main Store is one of the oldest and largest buildings to survive at Grytviken.
“Given South Georgia’s remote location it played an essential role in storing the many supplies needed to keep the whaling station and its fleet of vessels running, including feeding and supporting the many men that formed the whaling crews, which was a huge undertaking.
Laura Sinclair-Willis, CEO of GSGSSI explains: “The Main Store is central to South Georgia’s intriguing history, and thanks to the support of a team of experts, it is now an accessible time capsule capable of receiving visitors, as well as an important part of the work we are doing to explain the rich cultural history of the island.
“Following a Condition Survey and Structural Report of the Main Store that was published in 2018, our Heritage Build Team, SGHT’s Museum Curator and an Advisory Panel of heritage experts worked over the summer seasons between 2018 – 2023 to remediate the building’s structure.
“This included repainting the entire exterior, removing modern equipment and materials, installing electrical wiring and period lighting fixtures, and replacing windows, giving us the fully accessible building we have today.”
Iconic wildlife from humpback whales and southern elephant seals, to vast colonies of king penguins and an array of seabirds call South Georgia and the Southern Ocean home. South Georgia is celebrated for its remarkable environmental recovery following several Habitat Restoration projects run by both GSGSSI and SGHT.
GSGSSI removed reindeer that had been deliberately introduced to the island by the whalers as a source of fresh meat and sport, and SGHT ran a successful decade-long rodent eradication project to tackle invasive mice and rats, which came over in whaling vessels and decimated local seabird populations.
Now the island is a rare example of an ecosystem in recovery. South Georgia is also famous for its links with world-famous explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton who is buried at Grytviken.
The restoration of the island’s Main Store would not have been possible without the generous support of the many organisations and friends with a close affinity to South Georgia. These include Øyas Venner (The Norwegian Friends of South Georgia), t;he Hurtigruten Foundation, the Friends of South Georgia Island, the British Antarctic Survey and the Headley Trust.
To find out more about South Georgia, the work of its government and of SGHT, visit www.gov.gs and https://sght.org.
Shackleton’s original ‘Crow’s Nest’ will also return to South Georgia for the first time since 1922,to be displayed at the South Georgia Museum
A small, all-female team, many of whom have strong Scottish connections, has arrived on South Georgia, after an 8,000-mile journey to reach the small but significant British Overseas Territory in the Southern Ocean.
Together the team are reopening what is arguably the world’s most remote museum, the South Georgia Museum at Grytviken (the island’s only settlement), which will be fully open for the first time following its closure in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lauren Elliott, Helen Balfour, and Aoife McKenna approaching South Georgia (L) and Deirdre Mitchell, Jayne Pierce, Helen Balfour, Aoife McKenna, and Lauren Elliott taking part in a seasonal tradition of erecting the South Georgia and museum flags on the flagpole outside the museum, where they remain until the end of the season (R).
Credit = South Georgia Heritage Trust.
The team is from the South Georgia Heritage Trust (SGHT), a Dundee-based charity that has been working to conserve South Georgia’s fragile ecosystem and heritage since 2005 and which runs the museum on behalf of the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands.
Deirdre Mitchell, the new South Georgia Director from Dunfermline; new Museum Assistant Helen Balfour from Lerwick, Shetland Islands; and Aoife McKenna, a recent graduate from St Andrew’s University who is the new Curatorial Intern, make up the Scottish contingent.
The all-female team is completed by Curator Jayne Pierce from Bath, and Senior Museum Assistant Lauren Elliott from Portsmouth. The team will be opening the doors of this amazing museum for the expected 15,000 visitors who will be coming to the island during this season.
Deirdre Mitchell, South Georgia Director from SGHT says:“As a Scot, I’m particularly fascinated by the many Scottish connections with South Georgia’s whaling history and how we seem to be drawn to this remote island.
“I also can’t wait to be surrounded by the island’s incredible wildlife and landscape once again, and to share this amazing place with visitors from across the world so they can find out more about the island’s remarkable wildlife and heritage.”
Deirdre was born in Dunfermline, studied at the University of St Andrews, and before leaving for South Georgia lived in Inverness.
Having already spent time on the island as a former Curatorial Intern at the South Georgia Museum, Deirdre knows South Georgia – its history, successes, and current challenges – intimately.
She now returns as SGHT’s South Georgia Director to manage the charity’s activities at Grytviken.
South Georgia’s Museum Assistant Helen Balfour hails from the Shetland Islands. Her family history is synonymous with South Georgia, as both her grandfathers and one great-grandfather were whalers at the island in the 1950s and 1930srespectively.
Helen’s grandfather James Balfour first visited South Georgia in 1952, and after a decade of whaling was on board one of the last whale catcher vessels that worked out of Leith Harbour.
Her other grandfather Alan Leask started whaling as a 16-year-old and did two seasons, as did her great-grandfather Thomas Balfour twenty years before. Thomas had previously worked at a Salvesen whaling station closer to home at Olna, Shetland.
Helen will be following in their footsteps, as the now abandoned Grytviken whaling station is where the South Georgia Museum now stands.
Visitors to South Georgia this season will also be able to see Shackleton’s original ‘Crow’s Nest’, a lookout barrel from his fourth and final voyage The Shackleton-Rowett Antarctic Expedition, also known as The Quest Expedition.
The Crow’s Nest is one of the last vestiges from Quest and will be the centrepiece of the South Georgia Museum’s current exhibition ‘Shackleton’s Last Quest’, which was launched to mark the centenary of Quest leaving London for South Georgia in 1921. The ‘Shackleton’s Last Quest’ Exhibition is also available to all online on the South Georgia Museum website: https://sgmuseum.gs/shackletonslastquest/
This will be the first time the Crow’s Nest has been on South Georgia since the expedition ship was there in 1922. To follow the journey of the Crow’s Nest, visit https://sgmuseum.gs/the-quest-crows-nest-route/
South Georgia is famed for its iconic wildlife, including humpback whales, southern elephant seals, vast colonies of king penguins and an array of seabirds, and for its links with world-famous explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton who is buried on the island.
The new season (October – March) will bring visitors back to South Georgia to admire the island’s stunning scenery and burgeoning wildlife, and to learn about its fascinating heritage. It is expected to be the busiest season ever as tourism recovers and the world slowly opens after the pandemic.
To find out more about South Georgia and the work of the South Georgia Heritage Trust, visit https://sght.org, and to find out more about the South Georgia Museum, visit https://sgmuseum.gs
The South Georgia Heritage Trust (SGHT) has developed a range of new and exciting educational materials about the British Overseas Territory of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands for inclusion in this year’s Hanson Box – an initiative by the Don Hanson Charitable Foundation which donates a box full of fun learning material, activities and lesson plans completely free of charge to 8000 schools in the UK and UK Overseas Territories.
Each year’s box contains a different set of specially crafted resources designed to help teachers inspire their students. For the first time, materials about South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands will be included, thanks to SGHT and the Friends of the British Overseas Territories (FOTBOT).
SGHT paid for the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands contents of 5000 of the 8000 boxes, with FOTBOT contributing the remaining 3000.
Six beautifully shot and incredibly engaging short films have been created by writer and film maker Stewart McPherson to sit alongside a booklet and a map of the island as well as two competitions whose winning entries will be displayed on South Georgia.
There are also links to download lessons about South Georgia for primary school students developed by teacher Dawn Clements, one of which features the journey of a character called Winona the Whale, to help young children understand the challenges of our marine mammals.
The tiny island of South Georgia is an inspirational place hailed as a beacon of hope in international conservation terms, due to the recovery of its ecosystem.
Through the Hanson Box initiative SGHT can tell the island’s remarkable story to engage young people in the wonderful wildlife and conservation work that is taking place there and to encourage them that they can make a difference to environmental outcomes.
The films really bring to life this amazing story and include an overview of these sub-Antarctic islands, their bird life, marine mammals and marine life, their history and heritage, and the conservation of wildlife that is turning back the clock on two centuries of human impact. Working with the Hanson Box initiative, SGHT hopes to inspire a new generation of environmental custodians.
SGHT, the Scottish-based charity that has developed the educational materials for the Hanson Boxes, has been working on the island since 2005, in close partnership with the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands.
Its hugely successful Habitat Restoration Project has reversed two centuries of human-induced damage to the island’s wildlife, eradicating the mice and rats that arrived as stowaways on sealing and whaling vessels from the late 18th century onwards that preyed on ground-nesting and burrowing birds.
As a result, millions of birds reclaimed their ancestral home when South Georgia was declared rodent-free in May 2018 – the largest invasive species eradication in the world.
Stewart McPherson,whose generosity and talent created the wonderful booklet, films, printed lesson plans and competitions for the box said: ‘South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are as captivating as they are important in terms of international conservation.
“That is why it has been a pleasure to work on such an exciting project which brings together such a wealth of information, which I hope will inspire young people to a greater understanding and wonder of our natural world and in particular the importance of these tiny islands.’
Alison Neil, Chief Executive of SGHT, said:‘The work of SGHT focuses on the conservation of South Georgia’s heritage and helping to change the habitat there for the better.
“The opportunity to have materials included in the Hanson Box is incredible as we are delighted to share the wonder of this special place and hopefully encourage young people to get inspired about our natural world using the fantastic turnaround in South Georgia’s fortunes in recent years.’
photographed whilst working on the South Georgia Heritage Trust’s Rat Eradication Project in South Gerogia , Antarctica on February 08 2018. Photo: Oliver Prince
Andrew Fox and Simon Leary, Trustees of the Don Hanson Charitable Foundation, said: ‘We are delighted to work together with SGHT to donate high quality, educational resources to 8,000 schools across the UK.
“As hyper-concentrated breeding sites for tens of millions of seabirds and marine mammals which migrate across the Southern Ocean, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are of global importance.
“The South Georgia resource pack included in the latest Hanson Box is intended to inspire the interests of British students in this history, wildlife and landscapes of this fascinating UK Overseas Territory, as well as showcasing the inspiring work undertaken by the SGHT and the GSGSSI to safeguard these islands for the future.’
To find out more about the work of SGHT in relation to the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands visit www.sght.org and to find out more about Hanson Boxes visit www.hansonbox.org
The ‘Spirit Tables’ will represent the fall and rise of whales in the oceans of the sub-Antarctic
After a year-long search, the South Georgia Heritage Trust and the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands are delighted to announce the winner of a major international artistic commission that was designed to highlight the environmental recovery of the stunning sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia, a UK Overseas Territory in the Southern Ocean.
The idea of the commission was to challenge artists to find a way to tell the powerful conservation messages of South Georgia, an island that was at the centre of the whaling industry for decades, but is now a modern rarity: an eco-system in recovery and a beacon of hope for conservation activities worldwide.
The winning artist is Scottish sculptor Michael Visocchi, with his work called ‘Commensalis – the Spirit Tables of South Georgia’. This site-specific piece will be situated on South Georgia at the Grytviken Whaling Station, with Michael’s concept drawing inspiration from a number of sources to tell the island’s powerful story.
The artwork will be made up of three main elements that all interlink to tell the story from devastation to the recovery of whale populations in the oceans around South Georgia, and more widely.
Visually it will make a connection between the barnacles found growing on the skin of various whale species and the steel rivets which literally held together the structures and vessels that powered the whaling industry for nearly a century. It will also reference the industrial nature of the whaling station and materials used in the derelict buildings that bore witness to the processing of so many whales.
The Key Table sets the scene through a series of rivets arranged in a Nightingale chart*. It will visualise for visitors the stark reality that 175,250 whales were processed at South Georgia between 1904 and 1966. The Key Table will help unlock the message of what will follow with the other elements of the artwork.
The Footbridge is being explored as an element of the project, once Michael has had the opportunity to visit, and crossing it will provide a moment of reflection and contemplation as visitors walk across the slipway area where thousands of whales were dragged up and processed.
It will act as a transition point from the Key Table area to the Flensing Plan – the name given to the platform where the processing took place. The Footbridge will guide visitors to the final element of the artwork – the Spirit Tables.
The Spirit Tables are at the heart of the Flensing Plan and consist of six tables representing the six different whale species that were hunted and processed at Grytviken: Blue Whale, Fin Whale, Southern Right Whale, Sei Whale, Sperm Whale and Humpback Whale.
The Spirit Tables are punctuated by stainless steel button head rivets in various patterns, with each rivet symbolising a live whale or the spirit of a live whale. Michael’s design allows light to bounce off each rivet, illuminating the space and emitting a feeling of hope that is now evident around the waters of South Georgia following the end of whaling and the return of a number of species.
Recent expeditions by British Antarctic Survey have resulted in an unprecedented number of sightings of both blue and humpback whales, suggesting that the waters of South Georgia are once again becoming an important summer feeding ground for both species.
The title of the artwork Commensalis is derived from the biological term commensal, which defines a biological relationship where two species benefit from one another and where neither species suffer. Michael’s artwork focuses on the commensal relationship between whales and the whale barnacle. The artwork’s title more broadly proposes whether humankind ought to aspire to have that same commensal relationship with planet earth.
On being awarded this prestigious commission artist Michael Visocchi said: “This is an enormous honour and an extraordinary opportunity to engage creatively with such an important story in a truly remarkable place. It is going to be a real privilege to work alongside the many skilled and dedicated people who are so deeply invested in South Georgia and its wildlife.
“It is very rare for an artist to have the opportunity to respond to and work in such a genuinely special place and with such a deeply emotive subject matter. I have tried to weave a sense of hope into this work in an otherwise tragic and charged location in the whaling station. The Flensing Plan was where the more brutal physical aspects of whaling took place. I hope though that future visitors will gain some insight and hope from my Spirit Tables.
“As a sculptor and maker my work has always attempted to deal with our interaction with the landscape. This is what drew me to applying for this commission in the first place. It isn’t often that ‘site specificness’ or responding to a particular context is written into a commission brief.
“I hope the scale of this work in some way evokes the majesty of these amazing creatures and the magnitude of this story about humankind’s quite often troubled relationship with other species and the environment, but also humankind’s amazing ability to steer ultimately towards enlightenment.”
The South Georgia Heritage Trust, the Scottish-based charity that has organised this artistic commission, has been working on the island in close partnership with the Government of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI) since 2005.
Its hugely successful Habitat Restoration Project has reversed two centuries of human-induced damage to the island’s wildlife, eradicating the mice and rats that arrived as stowaways on sealing and whaling vessels from the late 18th century onwards that preyed on ground-nesting and burrowing birds.
As a result, millions of birds reclaimed their ancestral home when South Georgia was declared rodent-free in May 2018 – the largest invasive species eradication in the world.
Alison Neil, Chief Executive of SGHT said: “We were delighted with the responses from all over the world to the commission and it was heartening that so many artists were moved by the compelling story of South Georgia and wanted to be part of making a difference.
“The competition was tough, but the entire judging panel led by Elaine Shemilt (Vice Chairman of SGHT and Professor at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, University of Dundee), was impressed by the level of research Michael had undertaken and were struck by how his concept so effectively captured the essence of the brief, which was to shine a light of hope onto what can often seem a bleak future for our environment.
“This is just the start of the journey for SGHT and Michael, who will have the opportunity to visit South Georgia and evolve his concept once he has physically seen the site at Grytviken.
“The era of whaling and sealing was a dark period in our planet’s history, but the tide is turning.
“Now, not only are South Georgia’s birds free from invasive rodents, but whale species are starting to recover in the seas around the island too, which thanks to the GSGSSI now encompasses a 1.24 million km2 Marine Protected Area.
“We are thrilled that this artistic commission will sit at the heart of the work we are embarking, on as part of a cultural heritage programme to tell the world more about the human story on South Georgia.”
Helen Havercroft, Chief Executive of GSGSSI and a member of the judging panel said: “The Government looks forward to working alongside Michael and our Heritage Advisory Panel to ensure that the impressive concept Michael presented works to enhance the visitor experience at Grytviken and provide that critical ‘hope’ that humankind’s ability to destroy can be repaired through collective effort and a world-class management.
“Past human activities pushed some species to the brink of extinction but today, through hard work and commitment, South Georgia is a global rarity; an ecosystem in recovery with the recently published papers on returning whales to South Georgia’s waters serving as evidence of that recovery.”
Amanda Catto, Head of Visual Arts at Creative Scotland, who was also part of the judging panel, said: “Art is a really accessible and emotive way to tell powerful stories about the environment and engage people who might otherwise not be interested. The level of interest and entries to the competition demonstrates that.
“I am particularly impressed with the way the competition has been run and the quality of entries was incredible. Michael’s winning concept is exceptionally powerful and the way he proposes using the site and the materials to bring it to life is something I look forward to following as this project develops.”
Michael was due to visit South Georgia in the coming months, but due to COVID-19 this has been rescheduled to autumn 2021. Given the site-specific nature of the piece, it is imperative the artist has the chance to visit and adjust their concept accordingly, something that is particularly important for Michael who hopes to include disused materials from the whaling station in his construction.
The artwork will be permanently installed at Grytviken Whaling Station located in Cumberland Bay, South Georgia. Grytviken is the only visitor-accessible whaling station on South Georgia and receives around 10,000 visitors per year under usual circumstances.
Michael’s artwork will also be part of an outreach programme in the UK (currently under development), which may see Spirit Tables placed in a number of locations to engage a wider number of people in the story of South Georgia.
