IS IT A WHALE?

This news is about one of the largest exhibits of our collection - the skeleton of a fin whale. For some time it was transformed and became like the skeleton of an ancient inhabitant of the Earth unknown to science.  

The installation "Is it a whale?..." - is a product of the imagination of artist Andrei Ten and the museum staff. We were inspired by examples of synthesis of science and art, accidental falsifications, and breakthroughs in science. 

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Perceptions of what the ancestors of Earth's modern inhabitants looked like have changed with the development of evolutionary teaching and scientific methods. These changes can be traced in the works of artists working at the intersection of art and science. They create their works not only independently (Science Art projects), but also in partnership with scientists (reconstructions, illustrations). In the last 70 years alone, scientists have dispelled some of the old theories and made astonishing discoveries, which, in turn, have also been disproved.

Our visitors often ask: "How accurate are the conclusions of paleontologists? After all, perhaps not all the bones have been found yet, or not the most accurate method of analyzing the samples has been chosen". This possibility exists: there is always room for exploration, discoveries, new theories and evidence.

At the moment, the evolutionary path of cetaceans has been almost completely reconstructed. We have fantasized a bit about what intermediate forms of the whale might have looked like on its way from the continent to the sea.

Anyone can see the installation: it is presented in a glass gallery visible from the park. It is complemented by labels with facts from the history of discoveries and misconceptions. 

Curators: Svetlana Vavilina and Anastasia Tychenko 

Artist: Andrei Ten

Andrey Ten is a graphic artist, a graduate of the Faculty of Art and Graphic Arts of the Khabarovsk Pedagogical Institute, a member of the Khabarovsk regional branch of the Union of Artists of Russia, an artist of the theatrical organization "White Theatre", Honored Artist of the Khabarovsk Territory. In Khabarovsk Andrey Mikhailovich is known as the creator of many unique recognizable fairy-tale characters, theatrical artist, skillfully combining fiction and reality, the creator of street art works.

Andrei Ten is always on the lookout for new ideas and ways to realize them. We are glad that the Grodekovsky Museum's space and exhibit became a part of this way.

The installation "Is it a Whale?" is part of the project "Khabarovsk Khudgraph. Seal of Quality"