In May 2021, an image supposedly showing a mermaid that washed ashore along the River John in Nova Scotia in the early 1900s started to circulate on social media. When we first encountered it, we had two quick thoughts. First, that isn’t real. Despite loads of mermaid “sightings” over the last few centuries, this mythical underwater creature remains decidedly in the myth category. And two, who created this modern piece of folklore?
That would be Eduardo Valdés-Hevia, a digital artist from Spain who creates “dark and surreal images through photomanipulation,” according to his website. We sat down with Valdés-Hevia to discuss what goes into creating these pieces of art, how to make a convincing piece of folklore, and how internet users can spot manipulated images.