Cael McCarthy
the Voyage Home, 2024
Fabric, wire, color gels
"Admiral, if we were to assume these whales were ours to do with as we pleased, we would be as guilty as those who caused their extinction." -Spock in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
This lampshade, made into the likeness of a whale, glows a variety of changing hues as stars twinkle within. Just as there are whales in the sea, there is also a whale in the sky above-- the constellation Cetus, which is represented on this whale's back. In this work, the whale represents the connections between sea, sky, and the world around us.
While the sea and sky are two spaces where humans spend the least amount of time, how we live and interact with our surroundings on land still impacts everything else and causes issues for us all. If humans turn to the stars for an escape, what becomes of the whales and other creatures?
About:
One of Cael's biggest passions aside from art is the natural world, which he often incorporates into his art. Before transferring to UNT to study Sculpture, he spent his free time volunteering at LLELA as a Texas Master Naturalist and working as an outdoor educator at a summer camp. With his art he aims to connect people to nature and the world around them, hoping to pass the care and love he has for the outdoors onto others.
Instagram: @thoreaulyspacey