It is not the first year that mankind has been discussing the global issue of the pollution of the world oceans with plastic waste particles. They poison the life of many sea inhabitants, and some of them are literally wiped out. Actors and musicians, writers and poets, sculptors and artists cannot stay indifferent to the life of the underwater world. They hold charitable events to raise funds for water and coast purification, make educational projects and their own artworks to raise public awareness.

Canadian writer, artist and designer Douglas Coupland is exactly this kind of activist: his Vortex exhibition dedicated to the plastic pollution of the oceans in Vancouver Aquarium was a resounding success in 2019. His unique creation, a digital sculpture called Digital Orca, adorns the central waterfront of Vancouver and is one of the leading attractions in the city. According to Douglas Coupland, not everyone realizes the global nature of the problem. Despite the destructive effect of plastic particles on the World Ocean, people do not face them every day, do not see them in daily life. For drawing their attention, there must be something eye-catching for the locals and visitors of Vancouver. This is how the idea of creating an original sculpture of a giant killer whale made of big plastic blocks appeared. It looks like a visual aid showing how plastic can affect beautiful creatures of nature as a result of the cruel consumer attitude.

Actually, the Digital Orca sculpture is not entirely plastic. It is made of steel carcass covered with aluminum blocks with black and white plastic dusting. From a close distance, viewers see a senseless pile of blocks, like the display of pixels on a computer monitor. But when they start moving away, they notice a beautiful killer whale that seems to jump out of the water in a deadly dance. Due to this effect, the contemporary masterpiece of Douglas Coupland is called a digital sculpture.