New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
Marie Louise Gomes makes scallop bags at Diamond Marine Supply, one of the many diverse jobs that are vital to the daily operations of seafood processing in the commercial fishing industry and part of “Following Fish,” a new exhibit opening Friday, September 27 at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. (Photo by Phil Mello, courtesy of New Bedford Whaling Museum)
An innovative exhibit titled “Following Fish – Navigate Through the New Bedford Fishery” opens Friday, September 27, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the New Bedford Whaling Museum. “Following Fish” debuts on the eve of the port’s tenth annual Working Waterfront Festival and precedes a gala concert at 7:30 p.m. in the Cook Memorial Theater to benefit the festival’s programming. Concert tickets are available at the door for $10. The public is cordially invited to the exhibit opening; RSVP is required in advance by calling (508) 997-0046, ext. 100.
Installed in the San Francisco Room, Andrew Wilde Gallery and the Davis Observation Deck overlooking the harbor, “Following Fish” brings the past and present together in a poignant and dramatic way, notes María Quintero, Curatorial Fellow and the exhibit’s lead curator. “It is easy to look out across the many draggers and scallopers and imagine a similarly sized fleet 150 years ago, except with wooden hulls, masts and spars. Following Fish draws a direct line from whaling then to fishing now,” she said.
Whaling was a dangerous profession and it is no different for the commercial fisherman today. Fishing remains one of the most dangerous occupations in the country, yet the men and women of New Bedford continue to go down to the sea for fish. As a result of their great efforts and with the assistance of processing plant workers on shore, New Bedford has been the nation’s highest grossing fishing port for 13 consecutive years.
Through an innovative design approach, “Following Fish” will be expanded upon over the course of the next few years. With the input of an advisory panel led by highly respected leaders in the field such as Drs. Brian Rothschild and Kevin Stokesbury, the museum’s curators will open up the exhibit development process to the public. Visitors can participate in interactive elements and share their opinions online as they navigate the fascinating, complex and arduous voyage to bring seafood from the ocean to the dinner table.
In addition to being an engaging visual experience, the exhibit aims to test new educational approaches for younger audiences while addressing many of the larger complex and vexing questions that envelope the industry today.
Featured are new acquisitions by contemporary artists including paintings by Dora Atwater Millikin, a 40” long model of the dragger Nobska by Westport model maker Bruce Gifford and the outdoor installation of ceramic fish by Nancy Train Smith. Extraordinary wood carvings by Leander Plummer (1857-1914) are juxtaposed with contemporary photography by Phil Mello and accompanied by oral histories with fishermen provided by Laura Orleans and the Working Waterfront Festival Committee.
“Following Fish” is sponsored by the William M. Wood Foundation.
The New Bedford Whaling Museum is the world’s most comprehensive museum devoted to the global story of whales, whaling, and the cultural history of the region. The cornerstone of New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, the Museum is located at 18 Johnny Cake Hill in the heart of the city’s historic downtown and is open daily. Wheelchair accessible. For more information, visit the Whaling Museum online at www.whalingmuseum.org.
