Nestled in San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Recreation Area, a remarkable sculpture representing an 82-foot blue whale has been introduced at Crissy Field. This striking piece of art, crafted entirely from reclaimed plastic, aims to spotlight the critical issue of plastic pollution threatening marine ecosystems.

A Collaborative Effort to Raise Awareness

The installation is the result of a collaboration among the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the National Park Service, and the Golden Gate Parks Conservancy. Its mission is to educate the public about the harmful impacts of plastic waste on ocean life.

Artistic Creation and Purpose

“We created a life-sized blue whale to dramatize the scale of the problem,” stated Julie Packard, Executive Director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Each blue whale averages an impressive length of 82 feet and can weigh around 300,000 pounds.

Packard further expressed, “As people view the installation, we hope they’re inspired to make changes in their own plastic consumption and will join us in protecting ocean wildlife.”

Crafting Authenticity from Trash

The artistic vision came to life through the collaborative efforts of Bay Area artists Joel Dean Stockdill and Yustina Salnikova. They painstakingly hand-sorted and cleaned various plastic waste items, using them to form the panels that construct the massive body of this endangered species.

Details of the Installation

This eye-catching installation, a part of the Arts in the Parks program, is set to remain on display until January. Its scale and message are intended to provoke thought and inspire action against plastic pollution.