Through its ability to 3D print large size objects at low cost and high speeds, Massivit is enabling a new type of visual communication, which opens up new possibilities in terms of reaching out to large audiences with powerful messages. One of the first applications of this approach is for the recent Silence of the Sharks campaign against indiscriminate hunting of these mighty fish.
A total of 87 dedicated divers, holding protest posters and escorted by a 2-meter long, 3D printed, shark statue, carried out the opening dive of the campaign at the Satil wreck in Eilat, Israel. This global underwater campaign against shark hunting was initiated by producer David Pilosof in cooperation with shark conservation organizations worldwide. The campaign is composed of a series of mass dives held in many different countries around the world. Each dive is an underwater protest hosting tens or hundreds of divers equipped with waterproof banners and speaking up in the name of sharks. These dives are documented professionally and covered by local and international media in an attempt to raise public consciousness, which will, hopefully eventually, translate into action.
The official opening dive of the campaign was successfully carried out last week. Nir Avni, one of leading professionals in the Israeli diving industry, directed the dive and had it all well-planned ahead. Divers were divided into groups of 10 and each group was led by an experienced diving instructor. A detailed briefing was followed by a live dry rehearsal, ensuring that each diver was familiar with his or her role underwater. A festive ceremony was then held, announcing the official opening of the campaign, after which, divers began to gear up and head out into the water.
During the ceremony, a 2-meter high statue of the project’s logo, created by artist Shlomo Cohen and printed by Massivit 3D Printing Technologies, was introduced on stage. As soon as the ceremony concluded, a group of divers lifted the shark and carried it into the water. During the dive, the shark statue served as the anchor for all divers.
Once divers have descended and made it to the wreck, they lined up and stretched their posters out in the form of an impressive demonstration. Once they received the sign agreed upon ahead, they flipped their posters into single letters, together composing the slogan “NO SOUP FOR YOU”.
The final “D-Dive” and the largest underwater protest will be held in October 2016, hosting more than 500 divers from all over the world at the Mediterranean Sea, and will be live-broadcasted using an innovative, sophisticated and challenging technological operation.
“From the dawn of history the human kind has shared both fear and respect to sharks,” says Pilosof. “These predators inspired many authors and directors, who based numerous creations on their powerful image. Who dared to imagine that in such a short time, these impressive animals will completely extinct. Shark hunting is brutal and its consequences on the underwater environment are severe. Approximately 70 million sharks are hunted every year just for the sake of selling their fins to restaurants in East Asia. In many of these cases, once the fin is cut off, the shark is thrown back to the sea alive and struggles for several weeks until it finally dies. This abuse must be stopped at once. I hereby call out to all divers worldwide to join us on this campaign. 70 million sharks are hunted every year all over the world,” he concluded, “they cannot speak. But we can. And now, we finally are.” With Massivit’s GDP 3D printing technology they now also have a powerful visual ally.
