Photo: Glenn Van Roey
Whale Walk
In collaboration with OSTA: Organization for the Spiritual Treatment of Animals
Since humans began hunting whales, their population has fallen from four or five million to approximately 1.3 million. It does not have to be this way. On the beach, between low and high tide, we bring a whale back to life. As the tide comes in, the sea will take the whale back. Repeat this process several million times and the whale population will be restored. Simple, right?
Together, walking attentively, we create a large drawing of a whale on the beach, measuring 30 by 50 metres. Ninety-nine signs are numbered from 1 to 99. Participants walk from 1 to 2 to 3 to … 98 to 99, tracing every line of the drawing along the way.
Why?
When we approach the climate as a problem, it also seems to have a solution. According to the conventional reductionist narrative, that solution is to measure and regulate CO₂ molecules: counting CO₂, in other words. The climate, however, is extraordinarily complex—a wicked problem. It calls for a multifaceted and profound approach. To make this point playfully, we propose counting whales instead of CO₂ from now on, increasing the whale population as we walk.
It is uncertain whether whales will survive the current mass extinction. If they are given the chance, perhaps one day they will return to land, evolving into a new intelligent species that morally surpasses humanity. To keep this potential future open, humanity must radically change course.
Curious and eager to join us? You will find all the practical information below.
📍 Practical information
🗓️ When
On demand
📍 Where
Bredene beach
North of lifeguard station 1.
The starting point is a short walk from Twins Club beach bar.
🎒 What should you bring?
✅ 🧥 Protection from wind, rain, sun and sand
✅ 📓 A notebook and something to write with for a moment of reflection
✅ 🥪 Food and drinks
[!WARNING] Do not bring any products containing peanuts or groundnuts. One participant has a life-threatening peanut allergy.
🎧 Optional: headphones or earphones.
🗓️ Schedule
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 10:00–11:30 | 🚧 Setting up materials (helpers welcome!) |
| 11:30–11:45 | 👋 Participants arrive |
| 11:45–12:00 | 🎤 Welcome and practical information |
| 12:00–14:00 | 🐋 Whale Walk at your own pace |
| 14:00–14:30 | 💙 A shared moment of reflection |
| 14:30–15:00 | 🌊 The sea takes the whale back |
💛 How can you support the project?
You can support the project in several ways:
- 📍 Put up the poster
- Do you know a place where people like to pause for a moment?
- Put up the poster in your neighbourhood, at work, in a library, cultural centre, school or community organisation.
- This will help the Whale Walk meet new walkers.
- ⬇️ Download the poster (A4 PDF, in Dutch)
- 💶 Make a contribution
- Suggested contribution: €30
- 📸 Share your experience
- Document the walk in your own way (text, photographs, drawings, audio…)
- 💬 Give feedback
- Your ideas help the project grow.
- 🛠️ Help create a future edition
- Practical
- Conceptual
- Artistic
🐋 Will you walk with us?
At the boundary between land and sea.
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Photographs © Glenn Van Roey