Sludgie Returns to Gowanus
/Proteus Gowanus to Create Art Exhibit Inspired by Sludgie
TEDxGowanus is teaming up with an interdisciplinary gallery, Proteus Gowanus, to present an interactive exhibit featuring the skull of Sludgie the Whale.
In 2007 a baby Minke Whale found its way into the Gowanus Bay and tragically died a short time thereafter. The neighborhood affectionately named the whale "Sludgie" and the she quickly became an iconic symbol of the area.
After the whale's death, it was dissected by a team of experts to determine the cause of death and provide research samples for several labs in the area. This video tells the story of Sludgie after she passed away.
Proteus Gowanus collaborating artists Sasha Chavchavadze and Christina Kelly and educator Angela Kramer will create an interactive installation that revolves around the tragic death of a baby minke whale in the Gowanus Canal, drawing parallels to the life and death cycle that has permeated the canal throughout its history. The installation will include: the whale's skull; an artist-made "broadside" handed to guests with illustrations and news items of animal and human sightings in and around the canal from the 1870s to the present; and an interactive installation that will hover above the heads of guests listing lost and found Gowanus flora and fauna. The installation will also include a selection of Gowanus artifacts and books from the Hall of the Gowanus.