Emperor Penguins 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
Mawson, Davis, Casey, Macquarie, Heard & Argus
TITLE
Love The Emperor Penguins
GENDER
Male
AGES
5,7,8,10,11,11
FOUND
Antarctica
CONSERVATION STATUS
Near Threatened
This group of men have had a tough 2 months. They have survived freezing temperatures, storms so intense it’s impossible to see anything, and depleting food sources. But it’s all been worth it. They passed their precious baby which they watched hatch on their feet to their partner, and now it’s time to kick back from daddy-duty and fill their tummies. They have always had to be careful on these journeys, they aren’t the only hungry ones. Orcas and leopard seals are waiting for their arrival. They must be acrobats in the water to avoid them. But they can’t avoid the humans taking their food. The humans never seem to have enough fish and don’t like to share.
The largest of all the penguins, these beautiful birds make their home in one of the most inhospitable places in the world, Antarctica. These hardy birds are like no other. They can dive deeper than any other bird (500m), last without eating for longer (4 months) and is the only bird that breeds on the ice, during winter! With such extreme habits in such an extreme environment, these birds are fascinating.
With temperatures dropping down to -60 °C, these birds must work together to survive. They huddle together in a big group using their collective body heat to give the penguins in the centre protection from the wind. Once a penguin in the middle gets nice and warm it moves itself to the outside to give others a turn. But they also have special adaptations that help them out. They are naturally well insulated with body fat and several layers of feathers. They are also adapted to their deep, freezing dives which can last for around 20 minutes. With unusually structured haemoglobin which allows them to function with low oxygen levels, solid bones to help with the intense changes in pressure, and the ability to slow down their metabolism and shut down non-essential organs, these birds can achieve remarkable dives.
Emperor penguins have a very curious breeding system. They meet on the ice at the start of winter to breed. A few months later, the female lays her egg. This process makes her very hungry, so the male steps up to take his turn. She passes her egg from the tops of her feet to his, being extremely careful not to let the egg drop onto the freezing ice, before heading off to the open ocean to feed, a journey up to 80km away! The male is left to look after the egg, covering it with his feathered skin, called a brood pouch for the 65 days it takes to hatch, protecting it from the icy winds and storms. Once the two months is up, the female returns with a full belly, ready to regurgitate her food to the hungry chick. Since there is no fixed nest, she must use vocal calls to find her partner and chicks. Once found, the mother takes over childcare duties and the father hungrily sets off for his turn to eat. The mother must keep her chick warm in her brood pouch as they could die in just a few minutes if they are exposed. As the summer arrives the timing of the emperor penguins breeding makes sense. Just as the chicks are old enough to swim and fish by themselves, the summer sun breaks up the ice and open waters open up near the breeding site, ready for the young penguins first dip in the water.
It has been a recent development that the emperor penguin was moved from least concern to near threatened. The main threats this penguin faces are declining food, primarily caused by climate change and industrial fishing. They are also threatened with disease, habitat destruction, and the disturbance of breeding colonies by humans. Emperor penguins are very sensitive to changes in their climate. Studies have found that adult death rates increased in warmer periods with less sea-ice coverage, but when sea-ice increased, chick deaths increased. Scientists have predicted that with rising temperatures melting the sea ice, all colonies will see declining numbers through habitat loss and loss of krill, their primary food.
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
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.
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
SPONSORED BY
Miriam, Robert, Stirling and Adelaide Moreton
