Meet the Whale in the Wharf: Art, Scale, and Surprise in London’s Docklands

The blue whale isn't a species normally associated with London.  After all, when it comes to animals, the English capital city is known for its lions (stone, mostly), ravens, horses and pigeons (so many, many pigeons).  As such, the latest piece of art unveiled in London’s docklands is a pleasant departure from the expected menagerie.   Captured in a spectacular head-first breach, this 36 foot (11 metre) leviathan was created to highlight the issue of plastic pollution in the oceans of the world.

At close range, the colossal whale sheds its singular silhouette and becomes a constellation of detail, an intricate mosaic whose beauty lies in the delicate interplay of form, colour, and craft.  It all comes together in a visually jaw-dropping way. This striking installation is part of a vast open-air gallery in Canary Wharf, where over 100 artworks transform the place into the UK’s largest free public art trail.  But, what’s the story with the whale? 

Installed in April 2025, the immense sculpture is called the Whale on the Wharf (Skyscraper) and was made by StudioKCA, a pair of American designers, Jason Klimoski and Lesley Chang.  The plastic was collected from the beaches of Hawaii and used to construct the body of the whale.  When you see this patchwork of plastic close up, its revelatory on a number of levels.  Certainly, one has to admire both the cleverness and artistry of its creators but its also staggering to contemplate the amount of plastic that must wash up on Hawaii’s beaches.  After all, this is just the stuff chosen for its size and color to come together to form resemble a beautifully blue blue whale.

The materials weren’t quite all sourced in Hawaii.  London itself also had something to offer in the production of the sculpture.  The base is made from compacted coffee grounds, sourced from the busy cafes and restaurants in the Wood Wharf area of Canary Wharf, the area of London the whale calls home.  Mixed with concrete, it keeps the whale grounded (pardon the pun).

At four-storeys tall, the whales fits in surprisingly well with its surroundings, but you would be forgiven for asking why a whale was specifically chosen to make a statement – apart from the obvious visual impact that its size brings.  It’s this – there are around one and a half million whales of various species swimming right now in their habitats across the globe.  Yet, pound for pound, the amount of plastic in the oceans surpasses the combined total weight of all the whales.  It is estimated that there is over 150 million tonnes of plastic in the oceans.

So, there is certainly a rather prescient point to be made.  Yet while we may ponder on what an egregiously grubby little species we are, hope still springs eternal.  If two individuals can create something as splendid as Whale in the Wharf, then isn’t there surely some hope we can, collectively, clean up our act?

 

As far as I am aware, the whale does not have a name, so I would like to suggest Winifred. Of Old English and Welsh origin, it means peaceful friend - an appropriate and alliterative name for the whale on the wharf.

First Image Credit