ARTIST'S STATEMENT
The spawn initially captivated us in different ways, with two very different images. For Scott it was seeing from above the three dimensional wall of milt in the water marking the start of the spawn, at once massive and illusive, hanging off the shores of Hornby Island which he calls home. For Nettie, it was the dazzling patterns of a seiner pursing its net full of herring, and 100 barking, roiling, hungry sea lions.
We set out to capture the abstract patterns found in the chaos and wonder of the herring spawn.
Our decision to create a triptych grew out of an impulse to make art that was as compelling and immersive as the spawn itself. No narration. No interviews. Our job was to observe, not to comment. So we leaned into the abstract – in pursuit of framing the familiar in an unfamiliar way. We figured if we could surprise ourselves as filmmakers, we stood a chance of surprising our audience.
GO FISH was made with the participation of both environmentalists and members of the fishing fleet. Our hope is to get everyone in the same room together with our fish…. wondering at the beauty and power of the spawn, and pondering our relationship to it. GO FISH seeks to bring a curious lens to capture the poetry and complexity of one of the greatest shows on earth.
We respectfully acknowledge that GO FISH was filmed on the Unceded Territory of the K’ómoks First Nation, the traditional keepers of this land and sea.
