The Sound Harpoon

grouchyolhippie
The Sound Harpoon by grouchyolhippie

The Sound Harpoon

An artwork depicting the despair of a whale while attempting in vain to escape the pain and agony inflected upon it by modern military sonar (LFAS).

I hope to make aware with this artwork, an issue that is usually overlooked or ignored when considering and discussing the efforts to protect the oldest and largest inhabitants of the Earth. Much too often, the attention is focused only on the ongoing brutality of Japanese whaling vessels, this due to the graphic nature of the images of senseless whale slaughter.

Ponder this for a moment if you will… what fate is worse than death for a whale?
I feel the answer to this, is when a whale is suffering in such utter and complete agony that it chooses to fling itself from it’s ocean home and onto a beach to die slowly from dehydration… choosing to die in this manner, rather than endure another moment of torture from the man-made source of it’s agony.

How incredible the whale’s pain must be… for a whale to choose suicide as a better option.

Please, take a moment to read the accompanying article by the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) that I have linked below to accompany this artwork. It will help to educate and enlighten you about this important issue regarding protecting the whales and other marine mammals from military LFAS type sonar. I think you will be quite suprised just how dangerous and harmful LFAS type sonar actually is!

NRDC – Protecting Whales from Dangerous Sonar
http://www.nrdc.org/wildlife/marine/sonar.asp


Once you have read this article, then please take a moment to voice your opposition to using LFAS type sonar directly to the Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Donald Winter, using this easy and convenient online form provided by the NRDC. Stand up and let your voice be heard!

Tell the Navy to stop harming whales with high-intensity sonar
http://www.nrdconline.org/campaign/nrdcaction_092506_a

Now a few words about the details of the artwork and it’s creation. Photoshop 6 and Paint Shop Pro 8 were used to create this artwork. The artwork is basically a photomanipulation and composite of two public-domain images, ironically provided by two of the governmental agencies that are contributing
to the issue depicted in the artwork.

The submarine image source is a public-domain image courtesy of the US Department of Defense – DefenseLINK Multimedia Gallery. The whale image source is a public-domain image courtesy of NOAA Photo Library. I have provided links below for both source images.

Submarine Source Image
http://www.dodmedia.osd.mil/Assets/Still/2007/Navy/DN-SD-07-28560.JPEG

Whale Source Image
http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/bigs/sanc0601.jpg

I hope that both the artwork and accompanying article will educate and enlighten you, and help you gain a new found perspective, on just one of the many issues that are currently threatening the existence of our whale friends.

The Sound Harpoon belongs to the following groups:

ART ACTION UNION - CREATIVE ACTIVISM, Current Issues, Environmental Awareness, Exotic Mammals, Motivational Posters, PixElations - The Art of Photoshop, Underground USA and Voices for Animals
  • kcranmer

    kcranmer, 7 months ago

    Wow!! Now that is a magnificent shot Grouchy. It is so heart ripping what is happening to our whales…I have no words to describe how upsetting it is!

  • Graeme Pettit Photography

    Graeme Pettit ..., 7 months ago

    Certainly makes a point

  • Dave Sandersfeld

    Dave Sandersfeld, 7 months ago

    Another very important aspect of whale survival well beyond hunting. The US military, with Bush’s ok, can damage entire herds of whales. He will be gone in another 12 months! I understand the need for sonar; but I would hope they could make it Earth friendly – instead of simply mimicing whales in their technology. Military Intelligience is a joke.

  • grouchyolhippie

    grouchyolhippie in reply to Dave Sandersfeld’s comment, 7 months ago

    The really sad thing, Dave… is that many other governments are following suite in using LFAS type sonar too. Including, ironically, governments that are at the same time passing their own federal legislation to protect the whales.

  • Dave Sandersfeld

    Dave Sandersfeld, 7 months ago

    This is the problem are world is full of technology with no brains nor heart?

  • Ianphares

    Ianphares, 7 months ago

    Man….Nice work. I completely agree with all of the sentiment above. Nothing good comes of war.

  • Michelle Shoosmith

    Michelle Shoos..., 7 months ago

    Wow you are a photoshop guru and environmentalist 2 of my favourite things…
    This is awful I read the article and several other articles on this as well.
    Totally hypocracy on behalf of the governments calling to ban whaling when their military are silently Whaling. Thanks for bringing this powerful and disconscerting message to light…

  • grouchyolhippie

    grouchyolhippie in reply to Michelle Shoosmith’s comment, 7 months ago

    Thanks, Michelle… I’m pleased that you went on to read about the issue behind the artwork. They almost ran a segment on the national news last night about this issue, but at the last moment, there was yet another primary update instead. Funny, isn’t it how this got hushed up at the last moment. And I’m so sick of the banter of the presidential candidates… it’s become a sport instead of a campaign. Almost has me wanting to vote for the first candidate that removes their mug from my TV! LMAO

    Peace & Love,

    Grouchy ;)

  • Antanas

    Antanas, 6 months ago

    perfect

  • grouchyolhippie

    grouchyolhippie in reply to Antanas’s comment, 6 months ago

    Thanks Antanas, I only wish I could get it seen where it would have
    a bit more impact on the problem.

  • mcquaid

    mcquaid, 6 months ago

    Ponder this you know when you get unsolicited mail or forms from the government they provide you with a prepaid envelopeYea. Now print a copy of the art work fold place in the “Prepaid envelope paid by the TaxPayerand return”Please use recylable paper for this project.After all someone is going to have to look into this.Regards.

  • grouchyolhippie

    grouchyolhippie in reply to mcquaid’s comment, 6 months ago

    LMAO… Probably audit me is what they would do. Bring it on, I’ve got nothing to hide. And one of the beauties of this artwork, is that tax payers money did in part pay for both the source images that the artwork was made from.

  • Dorothy Venter

    Dorothy Venter, 6 months ago

    I just read the article and it shocked me. I didn’t know that sonar had such an effect on marine life. In films it is always this soft musical ping sound. Thank you for calling attention to this terrible situation with your strong and vivid image and description.

  • Charlie Taylor

    Charlie Taylor, 6 months ago

    Great Shot you should think of entering this into voices for animals

  • grouchyolhippie

    grouchyolhippie in reply to Charlie Taylor’s comment, 6 months ago

    Thanks for the compliment, Chris… as this is a photo-manipulation of two separate images, and for someone to see it as a single shot is the best compliment you can get for this kind of work!

  • Charlie Taylor

    Charlie Taylor, 6 months ago

    I really like it and try charlie

  • grouchyolhippie

    grouchyolhippie in reply to Charlie Taylor’s comment, 6 months ago

    Thanks again, Charlie!!
    Sorry ‘bout that mate… Dad’s been in intensive care for four days, and I haven’t had much sleep. Please forgive my blunder!

  • Tammy Soulliere

    Tammy Soulliere, 6 months ago

    whoa never seen anything like this in my life!

  • Gene Praag

    Gene Praag, 6 months ago

    Outstanding statement you have portrayed! Well done!

  • JOSEPH VALCOURT/ MODERNUS PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTWORK

    JOSEPH VALCOUR..., 6 months ago

    Be sure you contact the Soviets, and the Chinese and all the other gov’ts out there using subs.

  • grouchyolhippie

    grouchyolhippie in reply to JOSEPH VALCOURT/ MODERNUS PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTWORK’s comment, 6 months ago

    Exactly, Joseph… and many governments ARE starting to use this type of radar on all sea-going vessels, not just subs!

  • Shoshana Epsilon

    Shoshana Epsilon, 4 months ago

    Ah, yes. I can see how you composited the two unrelated pictures together.

  • KristaLynn1807

    KristaLynn1807, 2 months ago

    Beautifuly Emotional Photograph Great Job Very Well Put Togeather I Agree These Amazing Animals Need To Be More Protected & Not Just In The U.S. But Everywere They Are!!

  • gayle hoskins-nestor

    gayle hoskins-..., about 1 month ago

    Hey old hippie… I too belong on the old hippie list. I find myself living in Oz now and checking out the whales every chance I get. They are enormous, so beautiful , graceful, and living for now. I would miss them so much if they completely went awiay. That could happen. Your pic is just supurb yet sends a chill up my spine knowing how daily these special creatures are being abused and eradicated. So sad…G

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