Sound Forms: Whale Song
Hervey Bay Regional Gallery | 29 aug. — 4 oct. 2026

originally exhibited as

Worlds Around Us
Tweed Regional Gallery | 27 jun. — 9 nov. 2025

“…and the ocean holds the whales as lightly as the body holds the soul…”

Ursula K. Le Guin

This body of work reinterprets whale song recordings collected in the 1990s by Mark Franklin of The Oceania Project. Established by Dr Trish and Dr Wally Franklin, The Oceania Project supports the conservation of whales, dolphins and the ocean environment, with a long-term focus on the behaviour and ecology of humpback whales in Hervey Bay.

Cymatics (from Ancient Greek κῦμα meaning wave) is the study of making sound visible. For these exhibitions Sammy Hawker worked with designer Sam Tomkins to develop an analogue ‘cymatic instrument’, giving form to Mark Franklin’s whale song recordings as they vibrate through water. Hawker has documented these projected songs to create a hypnotic series of sonic notations or ‘cymatic figures’. Rather than seeking to decode or translate, Hawker’s hypnotic work conjures the mystery and complexity of our multispecies world in material form.

Accompanying these cymatic figures are works Sammy created by processing 35mm film photographs of the humpback whale migration with ocean water collected from site. Through an elemental use of light and sound Hawker creates an affecting reflection on human perception and interspecies dialogue, opening space for deeper empathy, curiosity and care.

Worlds Around Us was presented at Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Centre in 2025 as an outcome of the Nancy Fairfax Artist in Residence Studio program supported by benefactor Mr Tim Fairfax AC. It was adapted into Sound Forms: Whale Song to be presented at Hervey Bay Regional Gallery in 2026 to mark the annual migration of humpback whales through the waters of Hervey Bay (Butchulla Country).

The research & development of this body of work was supported by artsACT.

Cymatic Projection of Whale Song (Maia) - recorded on the 1992 southern hemisphere spring equinox by Mark Franklin for The Oceania Project. Playing through the cymatic instrument co-designed with Sam Tomkins.

*Cymatic Notation of Humpback Whale Song (Maia)* on exhibition in *Sound Forms: Whale Song* at Hervey Bay Regional Gallery (2026).

*Cymatic Figure from Humpback Whale song* *(Migaloo #1),* 2025

*Cymatic Figure from Humpback Whale song* *(Pleiades #3),* 2025

*Cymatic Figure from Humpback Whale song* *(Maia #4),* 2025

*Cymatic Figure from Humpback Whale song* *(Equinox #1),* 2025

talking through the process

Install of the Cymatic Instrument, co-designed with Sam Tomkins

Cymatic Projection of ‘The East Australian Humpback Whales’ - recorded in 1998 by Mark Franklin for The Oceania Project. Playing through the cymatic instrument co-designed with Sam Tomkins.