Delphinus

A mainstream presence on postcards and in souvenir shops, dolphins retain a long-standing power in representing Venice’s most carefree and festive side. Although stories and videos of sightings circulate, their actual presence in the lagoon remains debated. To celebrate the launch of White Pool, we commissioned Dominican-French artist photographer Karla Hiraldo Voleau to conduct a surreal visual investigation, looking for traces of dolphins around town. “I spent three days in Venice, walking and boating in all the crooks and corners of the fish-shaped island, looking for dolphins. It felt like a hunt, stalking its image, its representations and its imaginary impact. My own Italian (Loch) Nessie. It’s funny how, when you hyper-focus on one thing or one word, it suddenly appears everywhere. It happens to me often: I would think about a person, and shortly after, see them in the street, receive a message, or read their name randomly. Do we create these synchronicities, or do we just notice them? Was the dolphin there, or did I manifest it? One of the films I used, pre-tainted with green shiny dots, gave the search a slightly sci-fi, spooky quality ­— the water became opaque and mysterious, the sun a creepy heavy glow, the narrow streets turned labyrinthine. I found dolphins all around Venice, none alive or dead, just drifting somewhere between myth and merchandise. I’m sure they mocked me as I chased shadows of my own imagination.”