Can You Hear Me? | Inside VIVA LA VIDA & Whale Room’s Marine Conservation Art Exhibition in Shanghai

This spring, an invisible, transparent wall quietly rose in Shanghai.

On one side stood Sophie, a captive beluga whale—confined within the artificial boundaries of a marine park, endlessly probing the edges of her tank. On the other side stood us—human observers, forced to pause, step back, and learn how to truly listen to another life form.

In March 2026, Viva la Vida and Whale Room co-presented the groundbreaking marine conservation art exhibition, "Can You Hear Me? When Two Forms of Life Meet in a Limited Space: On Belugas and Us," hosted at GREEN HUB, Shanghai BINGANG Commercial Center.

Rooted in the lived experiences of Shao Ran—a former beluga trainer who transformed into an independent whale conservationist—and Sophie, the beluga whale she once cared for, this exhibition challenged traditional wildlife displays. Refusing to showcase live animals or promote the spectacle of captivity, the exhibition wove together photography, video, spatial installations, and interactive eco-art workshops. Its core mission: to invite the public into a cross-species dialogue on ecological coexistence and animal liberation.

Over its two-month run, the exhibition generated widespread international and local dialogue, accumulating over 100,000 impressions across 50+ media outlets and NGO partnerships. More importantly, it proved that empathy does not require captivity—and that every moment of contemplation can spark tangible action for animal rights.

The Origins:

Shifting from Spectacle to Lived Experience

On March 28, the exhibition officially opened its doors in Shanghai, gathering artists, conservationists, media representatives, and families to begin a vital conversation.

"Art does not exist to provide simple answers—it exists to ask better questions."

— VIVA Representative at the Opening Ceremony

Shao Ran's Speech as the Initiator of the Whale House Exhibition

and an Independent Whale Conservation Activist

Unlike traditional marine park exhibits that reduce animals to entertainment, this exhibition centralized first-hand experience and ethical boundaries. Shao Ran spoke candidly about her personal transformation from a marine park trainer to an animal rights advocate. Her journey taught visitors a profound lesson: true respect for wildlife is not about moving closer to touch or consume; it is about stepping back to let animals reclaim their rightful place as the narrators of their own stories.

The opening culminated in a moving performance by the Aixingbao Children's Choir, a choir composed of autistic youth. Their voices filled the blue gallery space, echoing the complex, acoustic calls of beluga whales in the wild—proving that listening is not merely an intellectual exercise, but a physical and emotional resonance that transcends language.

Inside the Exhibition:

Art as a Bridge for Cross-Species Dialogue

To bridge the gap between human perception and marine life, the gallery was divided into immersive visual narratives, video installations, and interactive co-creation zones.

In the Video Zone, international underwater photographers demonstrated what an authentic encounter between equals looks like:

• Fred Buyle (Belgium): Captured himself freediving on a single breath alongside cetaceans, sharing the same ununshielded water without intrusion or dominance.

• Franco Banfi (Switzerland): Documented wild belugas seamlessly merging with Arctic glaciers—portraying them as poetry of nature, rather than prisoners of concrete tanks.

In the VIVA Life Portrait Zone, 13 featured artists, wildlife volunteers, and neurodiverse creators used diverse mediums to explore freedom, trauma, and coexistence:

• Equal Coexistence by Joyce (Shenzhen)

An environmental illustrator and wildlife volunteer, Joyce used gentle lines and bright colors to depict humans and marine life within concentric circles. Her work advocates rejecting cetacean performances to protect our shared ecological home.

• Stitched Wounds by Kang Jingyang (Tsinghua University Academy of Arts & Design)

Using rough, tactile stitches on fabric as brushstrokes, this series sutures visual trauma—capturing both the wildness of animals and the fragility of life to evoke deep empathy.

• Dream Whale by Li Wanru

An exploration of dream versus reality, illustrating how an inner longing for freedom can illuminate even the most confined spaces.

• The Meadow of Perception by Yi Jiaqi (China Academy of Art)

Comparing dense grass stems to animal sensory fibers, this piece reflects on how artificial, monotonous environments trap living beings and destroy their natural desire to explore.

• Growing Up by Xu Xiaoyuer (8.5-year-old artist, Shenzhen)

Without formal training, this young artist painted a vibrant world inspired by nature observation, redefining life not as a static state of being "grown up," but as a continuous, dynamic process of "growing up".

• Imprisoned Sorrow by Wu Wei (Luxun Academy of Fine Arts)

A powerful critique of marine park animal performances. Using tempera and oil, Wu Wei exposes the cruel reality behind the applause, declaring: "When we cage life in the name of affection, how is it different from bullying? Cancel animal performances and return freedom to life!"

• Swimming Through Currents by Wen Yihe

A water marbling and acrylic piece capturing a blue-white whale emerging through surging, ink-like ocean textures—symbolizing modern survival within powerful external currents.

• The Brave Dolphin by Sun Qianwei (Naïve Art Creator)

Created by a 24-year-old neurodiverse artist from the Nanjing Naïve Art Studio, this vibrant piece depicts an intuitive, self-assured dolphin utilizing its courage to escape a deadly whirlpool and reach the safety of the open sea.

• Gentle Coexistence by Mai Zi (Guangdong)

An independent illustrator and vegetarian, Mai Zi constructed a utopian paper kingdom where plants breathe freely and creatures roam in peace.

• True Liberation by Da Xi

A deeply personal pledge by a human conservationist: "When I realized that I was the one who caged her, and that I also hold the key to her freedom, I vowed to dedicate my life to building a bridge between humanity and Mother Nature."

• Abandoned Ocean Playground (Open Call Submission)

A speculative artwork imagining the sunken ruins of human marine parks on the seabed—reminding future generations that nature possesses the ultimate capacity for self-healing once artificial exploitation ends.

• Naked in the Ocean of Life (Open Call Submission)

A visual metaphor of sinking naked into the ocean of existence to experience, collide with, and embrace the unknown.

• In Memory of Dr. Jane Goodall (Open Call Submission)

A tribute to legendary conservationism, centered around the iconic English maxim: "Only if we understand can we care. Only if we care will we help. Only if we help shall they be saved."

Expanding the Dialogue:

Voices from the Conservation Frontlines

To extend the exhibition's impact beyond the physical gallery, VIVA hosted the Cloud Coffee x VIVA Annual Dialogue Forum on April 4 under the theme: "Nature and Coexistence: My Relationship with Wildlife."

Four frontline changemakers—Shao Ran, Huang Hongxiang, Cai Jue, and Li Yanxi—engaged in an open debate examining ethical boundaries, the reality of wildlife encounters, and the power of individual activism. The forum reinforced VIVA’s foundational belief: true environmental change begins when we stop viewing nature through an anthropocentric (human-centered) lens and recognize that every creature has the intrinsic right to unfold in its own way.

Public Action:

"The Scale of Life" Eco-Art Workshop Series

A cornerstone of the exhibition was its community-focused educational outreach. By integrating creative workshops, VIVA transformed passive gallery visitors into active participants in marine conservation:

Workshop 1: The Scale of the Individual | Neurodiversity & Perception

Partnering with the non-profit Aixingbao, VIVA hosted an art co-creation session for autistic individuals and their families. Drawing a parallel between the unique communication frequencies of beluga whales and the distinct sensory worlds of autistic youth, participants created expansive landscapes, vibrant forest scenes, and joyful folklore paintings—dismantling societal stereotypes and celebrating neurodiverse creative expression.

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Workshop 2: The Scale of the Environment | World Earth Day

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On April 19, VIVA collaborated with Lifang to launch an immersive ecological workshop. Participants sat at the "Seat of Exchange," adopting a beluga's perspective to understand how human activities, illegal wildlife trading, and captive breeding severely damage marine ecosystems. Through collaborative painting, participants translated complex environmental grief into actionable hope for ecological balance.

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Workshop 3: The Scale of Connection | Bringing the Ocean to the City

On May 10, in partnership with GiffyPlanet, young urban professionals gathered to construct a temporary "blue harbor" in the heart of Shanghai. Engineers, psychologists, and designers painted flowing ocean currents and explored the undeniable link between industrial civilization and ocean health—proving that even in concrete megacities, our daily lives remain inextricably bound to the deep sea.

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The Meaning of Listening:

Moving from Contemplation to Action

Though the physical walls of the exhibition have come down, the story of Sophie and captive marine life is far from over. Commercial whale and dolphin performances continue globally, and the path toward comprehensive animal protection remains challenging.

However, "Can You Hear Me?" proved that when art meets advocacy, public perception shifts. Every visitor who paused before the empty blue frames, every child who painted a free swimming whale, and every reader who engages with these stories represents a catalyst for change.

When we choose to listen, we refuse to be silent spectators to captivity. Let us continue to see, to question, and to speak up—because no life belongs in a cage.

Organizer

Exhibition Team

Producers: Shao Ran, Wang Xiaoyong

Curatorial Team: Foxbox-PLAY

Chief Coordinator: Xie Mingqing

Chief Execution: Wang Jiaying

Graphic Design: Xu Ling, Yin Caojie

Archival Research: Xiao Yunlin

Curatorial Content: Tang Jinghao, Chen Jiarui, Zhong Yaxuan

Event Recruitment: Xue Ru, Luo Jin, Wang Yemin, Hu Qingquan, Yang Huimin, Xia Chuhan, Lin Xing, Wang Xuewei

Partnerships & Communications: Zhao Xiaopei, Zhai Dong, Shi Yu, Ni Shuting, Xu Qianyun, "Little Fish Daidailu," Long Ziqing, Kang Jingyang

Special Thanks: Wu Wei, Kang Jingyang, Li Wanru, Sun Qianwei, Xu Xiaoyuer, Yi Jiaqi, Da Xi, Joyce, Mai Zi, Wen Yihe

About VIVA

Viva la Vida (VIVA) is a cross-cultural art brand active in 60+ countries. We are dedicated to recording life stories through art, advancing cross-cultural understanding, and driving social impact. By inviting people from all cultural backgrounds to answer "What is your life?" through a single painting, we document diverse narratives of existence and foster global dialogue.

Over the past eight years, VIVA has collaborated with institutions including the United Nations, Coca-Cola, and Tencent to host 400+ events, collecting 20,000+ life portraits that transform individual expression into bridges for cultural conversation.

Produced by

VIVA International Cooperation Department & Brand Department