Balaenoptera Musculus

BALAENOPTERA MUSCULUS
London, United Kindom– 2017

This gargantuan skeleton of a Blue Whale in the Natural History Museum in London represents the largest animal known to have ever existed, yet one that feeds on only the smallest creatures. Its diet consists almost exclusively of tiny crustaceans known as krill.

The female Blue Whale skeleton greets visitors as they enter the hall. It has been named Hope by the museum as a symbol of humanity’s power to shape a sustainable future. These beautiful, highly intelligent animals were once hunted to the brink of extinction by humans.

Still, they are also one of the first species that humans decided to save on a global scale, perfectly illustrating the power of change. Consisting of 221 bones, it hangs in the diving lunge feeding position. Suspended in the air mid-dive, Christian Voigt immortalises this incredibly elegant portrayal of nature frozen in time, highlighting the elegant, yet surreal surroundings of the museum itself.
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