Giant Galapagos Tortoise by artists Gillie and Marc
LOCATIONS
EDITION 1 - SINGAPORE - 19 May 2023 - 18 May 2024
Gardens By The Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018953
Visit the sculpture, click for map >
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NAME
Mme. du Micocoulier
TITLE
Love The Giant Galapagos Tortoise
GENDER
Female
AGE
75
FOUND
Galápagos Islands in Ecuador
CONSERVATION STATUS
Endangered
This old lady has lived to the ripe age of 75 and is still going strong. Moving slowly around her island, grazing on grass and fruit, she lives a peaceful life. Her species was nearly wiped out by humans but she feels lucky that they're making up for their mistake. She is still endangered but she has a much better chance at survival now that conservation is a priority. She wishes those pesky cows wouldn’t eat so much of her food though...
These giants share a window into a pre-historic time. The biggest living tortoises by far, these reptiles give us an idea of the simply enormous species that would have roamed our world. They now survive in two remote groups where they can live for a very long time, over 100 years. They roam around with their great shells attached to their ribs. These shells are not solid but in fact made up of honeycomb-shaped air chambers.
Tortoises have a very hands-off approach to parenting. The female will lay her eggs (2-25 depending on the species) in a nest she has dug into the sand. She will cover it back up and head off. The hatchlings will need to dig themselves out of the hole when they are ready. Interestingly, the temperature of the sand can affect the gender of the hatchlings: warmer temperatures tend to give more females and colder temperatures give more males.
Once upon a time, there were more species of giant tortoises roaming this earth, but many became extinct soon after humans arrived and the surviving populations were negatively affected. Giant tortoises do not need to eat or drink for a very long time so for early humans this made for 'fresh' meals, being able to take like tortoises across great distances and then them when they were ready. They were also used for their oil to light lamps. Now, with dedicated breeding programmes, the population of the remaining species are increasing. They are however, still threatened by introduced species such as cats and dogs who attack the young tortoises and cattle who are competition for grazing.
HOW TO HELP
Inspired by animals that Gillie and Marc met on their travels, we invite the public to discover and interact with these beautiful creatures up close and personal – this allows audiences to connect, take photographs and share their favourite species with friends and family.
With more exposure comes more awareness and builds on the love we already have for animals around the world. With love comes a greater sense of urgency to create a change and save all endangered animals.
The sculpture will be aligned with the hashtag #LoveTheLast to raise unparalleled awareness about the sculpture’s cause across the globe.
To help protect these animals, please donate to the WWF: https://www.wwf.sg/
WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organisations. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature. As one of WWF’s international hubs, WWF-Singapore supports a global network spanning over 100 countries. We work to meet key conservation goals, such as deforestation, haze pollution, food security, sustainable finance, sustainable consumption and illegal wildlife trade.
ABOUT GILLIE AND MARC
Gillie and Marc’s highly coveted public artworks can be found worldwide including in New York, London, Singapore, Shanghai, and Sydney. They are Archibald Prize finalists, won the Chianciano Biennale in Italy, took out the Allens People’s Choice Award in 2016 and 2018 and Kids’ Choice Award in the 2016 Sculpture by the Sea and received the Bayside Arts Festival People's Choice Award in 2019 in Sydney.
The husband-and-wife duo are on a mission to make art for a better tomorrow. They are best known for their beloved characters, Rabbitwoman and Dogman, who tell the autobiographical tale of two opposites coming together as best friends and soul mates.
Gillie and Marc are also passionate eco-warriors and have dedicated their lives to protecting nature.
Gillie grew up with the wildlife in Zambia and Marc studied chimpanzees in Tanzania as a young man. Over time, the artists developed a deep appreciation for all living things and a desire to preserve the magnificence of the natural world.
Gillie and Marc’s mission is to save species from extinction. Through their practices, they are transforming passive audiences into passionate advocates for animal conservation, spreading awareness about endangered species and leading to change.
Their art has raised hundreds of thousands in donations for the many wildlife charities and causes they support through their project Love The Last.
Please follow @gillieandmarcart
If you are interested in buying art related to the Love the Last March, you will also be directly helping real animals in the wild, with 30% of sales going to WWF to continue their fantastic work for animal conservation. Click here to browse art > https://gillieandmarc.com/collections/love-the-last-march
SPONSORED BY
Silvia & Tobias Koenig