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Sure, Herman Melville’s Moby Dick is a famous tale, but have you heard of Mocha Dick? The male sperm whale that swam in the waters of Mocha, an island near southern Chile, was the real-life inspiration for the 1851 literary work. Described as being “white as wool,” the whale comes back his full glory in a sculptural piece crafted by Tristin Lowe. Mocha Dick, the 52-foot albino whale, lies in happy repose in his skin of wool felt and vinyl coated fabric. The material and textural details capture the striated composition of the whale’s skin as well as the little bumps and barnacles that have attached themselves onto the whale’s surface. Though the sheer size of the whale is formidable and terrifying, the color of Mocha Dick and its sleepy smile make the creature loveable and endearing.
