Dolphins are playful and intelligent aquatic mammals, found in shallow waters throughout the world. Because of their capacity for learning they have been brought inland to manmade dolphinaria such as Sea World, where they perform tricks for human pleasure. However collaboration with humans goes far deeper; with dolphins working with disabled children and the military to find mines, conduct rescue missions and even rumours of killer dolphins trained during the Vietnam War. The two most intelligent mammals share two other similarities, humans and dolphins mate for reasons other than reproduction and both kill for reasons other than to feed.

Dolphins often leap above the water surface, sometimes performing acrobatic acts for no discernable reason. Scientists have surmised many logical, but unproven reasons such as locating shoals of fish, communicating with other dolphins or dislodging parasites. The most popular conclusion is that they do it for fun, something often observed in other dolphin behaviour such as surfing and play-fighting with other dolphins.

Dolphins, the second most intelligent animal, after mice, in Douglas Adams Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy, attempted to warn humans of the end of the world. Their actions were instead misinterpreted as simple acrobatics before they flew off into space, seconds before the Vogons blew up Earth. Perhaps their jumps and leaps out of the water are not for fun after all.

Andrew Bracey is an artist living and working in Manchester, he is also a member of Suite studio group and a 0.5 lecturer in Fine Art at Lincoln University. Recent group exhibitions include Beyond the Endgame, Manchester art gallery (2003); John Moores 23, Liverpool Biennial (2004), Post notes, ICA, London (2005) and Small Mischiefs, Pumphouse gallery, London (2006). He has had solo shows at Firstsite, Colchester; Assembly@Chapter, Cardiff; Transition, London; Porch, Manchester and an upcoming show at Wolverhampton art gallery in autumn 2007.