This piece was commissioned by the Norwegian Orca Survey, to celebrate the identification and addition of the 1000th killer whale to their photo ID catalogue. It shows the connection between the real living animals and the extensive databases we create to keep track of them. All whales in the painting correspond to real live individuals, which the scientists have identified over the years. Though not all animals had an equal amount of photographic material to reference, greatest care was taken to ensure at least the dorsal fins and saddle patches (the main identifiers of killer whales) are accurate.
– Digital