Addax 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
Quintin
TITLE
Love The Addax
GENDER
Male
AGE
6
FOUND
North Africa
CONSERVATION STATUS
Critically Endangered
This 6-year-old Addax knows he’s a catch, a catch for an Addax lady, but not for a hunter! Hiding from sandstorms and keeping cool, he adapts to the harshest conditions without a single need to drink water with the moisture in his plants. But even though he is so well adapted, it doesn’t save him from humans. They love his skin and find him really tasty so the numbers of his species have been decimated. His kind is so critically endangered he’s not sure how much longer he will be around.
Also known as the "white antelope" or "screwhorn antelope", the beautiful addax is a critically endangered animal. Beautifully white in summer and grey/brown in winter with twisted horns that can grow over a meter in length, this species was once abundant throughout North Africa. It could thrive in harsh environments that other animals couldn’t survive, like the Sahara Desert. It is perfectly accustomed to the sandy landscape with splayed hooves and the ability to survive with very little water, getting all they need from the little moisture on the plants they eat. They are predominantly nocturnal, particularly in summer, spending their days digging into the sand for a shady area to escape the heat and protect themselves from sandstorms.
Mother Addax’s usually give birth to just one baby at a time. It is completely helpless when it is born and she keeps it hidden for the first 6 weeks of its life, feeding it with her nutritious milk. When the babies are older and less vulnerable, they can come out of hiding and join the herd. Herds are organised based on age with the oldest female being in charge.
Addax were once widespread and populous but because of overhunting, they have become very rare. Unfortunately for the Addax, they are an easy target because they are quite slow. Their meat and leather are also highly sought after so there's even more temptation to hunt them. Addax have also suffered from drought and habitat destruction, mainly caused by human settlements and agriculture moving into their territory. There are thought to be less than 100 individuals left in the wild but that seems to be a generous estimation. Luckily, there are many Addax in captivity around the world that could be used for reintroduction programmes. Sadly, very few organisations have the Addax high on their list of priorities.
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/
PARTNER
For more information, visit https://www.wwf.sg
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
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