In Taiji Town, Eastern Muroto District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, local fishermen engage in the traditional practice of capturing dolphins and small whales from mid-September to March, with a yearly quantity exceeding 20,000. High-quality dolphins selected by trainers are transported to marine parks worldwide for performances, contributing to a substantial industry chain. Dolphins not chosen face capture and are sold in markets as whale meat. This practice gained global attention after the 2010 documentary "The Cove" won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, becoming a focal point for media and animal protection organizations. It attracted a group of marine conservationists to the area in the hope of physically preventing the action.
Centered around the theme of the crimson Dolphin Bay, this work constructs six symbolic spaces. Players control virtual characters, navigating through these spaces that blend the surreal with reality. Immersed in virtual scenes, players can detach from real-world interference in self-awareness and make subjective judgments within an objective event reconstruction.
Each space elicits different emotions. From the mournful cries of dolphins to the emotional spaces maintained by Taiji town villagers, and the explosive media space, each area presents distinct imagery. The spaces introduce the reasons behind the Dolphin Bay incident. As players traverse lake shores, cross lake bottoms, and ultimately reach dolphin bones, they gain insight into the complexity and multifaceted nature of the entire event.