Whale on the Wharf

Head to Canary Wharf for a bit of shopping over the next few months and you may well be greeted by a slightly unusual site; a magnificent blue whale leaping out from the water on Wood Wharf. Crafted from masses of plastic waste collected from Hawaiian beaches, the spectacular four-storey-tall sculpture was inspired by the shocking fact that, pound for pound, there is more plastic waste swimming in the world’s oceans than there are whales; 150 million tonnes of the stuff. To highlight just how much of a problem plastic waste is, NYC-based design firm StudioKCA worked with the Hawaii Wildlife Fund to collect plastic litter and turn it into the 11-metre sculpture. Alongside recycled plastic, the sculpture incorporates recycled steel and a low-carbon concrete base incorporating spent coffee grounds sourced from the area’s bars and cafes. The clever installation is the latest addition to a series of more than 100 artworks featured around Canary Wharf in the UK’s largest free-to-visit public art collection, which includes pieces from the likes of Camille Walala, Henry Moore and Helaine Blumenfeld. For more information on the many artworks in the neighbourhood, visitors can download Canary Wharf’s Art Map, which is also available on the Bloomberg Connects app.