You were my friend

This painting is about the killer whales from long ago who lived under human care, when marine parks were just starting out. And the things they went through because people back then didn’t really know what they were doing yet. Pools too small, healthcare very subpar, training not up to modern standards. Whales were regularly manhandled for procedures, or the pools simply drained for cleaning or vet checks. And yet these animals placed their trust in the people they met. Even if those only stayed a while, came and went, put them through painful procedures, took care of them only as a summer job.
It is strange, looking at those old grainy black and white photos. Like a different world back then. All these whales. All these people. The blurred face of the trainer is supposed to represent the anonymity of the people they met. Contrasted with the delicate trust they received from the whales regardless.
PS. this piece is not meant as hatred towards cetaceans under human care – au contraire. Please don’t regard it as your excuse to start such a discourse here either. This painting is a way for me to express my feelings when I see these whales from long ago. A reminder of how far we’ve come, and how far there will always be to go.