European Bison 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
Liuz

TITLE
Love The European Bison

GENDER
Male

AGE
9

FOUND
Europe

CONSERVATION STATUS
Near Threatened

This 9-year-old bull is huge. A big vegetarian, he loves his new-found freedom out in the forest like he always dreamed. He was one of the many who was born in captivity and released to the wild. He finds it amazing that this has happened. Humans had hunted his kind nearly to extinction. And now, humans are helping them come back. He knows there is still a long way to go until his species is safe, but for now, he will make do with the forest he has and remain hopeful for more to come so that he can meet other herds in his lifetime. 

The European bison, also known as the "Wisent", is the largest land mammal in Europe and one of only two species of bison left in the world, the other being the American bison. These great beasts weigh a lot, with very large bulls weighing up to 1,000 kg.

Bison are herd animals, living in groups of between 8-13. These are not family groups and different herds often come together and exchange members. The herds are matriarchal which means they are led by females. The cows decide where the herds will move to graze, the bulls who are larger stay on the outside of the group and are used as protection.

Bison are incredibly important for their ecosystems. They put away a whopping 32kg of food per day, a diet of grass, bark, and seedlings, which shapes the landscape. They create feeding paths for other animals and open up areas in forests. By eating bark and creating clearings in forests the bison are considered ‘firefighters’, helping to prevent the spread of fires. They are also incredibly important for seed dispersal, scattering over 200 species of plants to increase biodiversity. 

Bulls become sexually mature at the age of 3 but are not allowed to mate until they are 6 or 7 because of the older and stronger bulls. Females will give birth to one calf every two years which they will do for the rest of their life. Males on the other hand become sexually inactive when they reach the age of 12. The cow gives birth to a very heavy baby, weighing between 25-30kg. She will feed it nourishing milk for about a year before it is old enough to graze for itself.

Due to intense hunting and habitat degradation, European bison numbers have plummeted. Back in the early 20th century the European bison became extinct in the wild - the last wild bison of the lowland subspecies was shot in the Białowieża Forest in 1921, with the Carpathian bison already being hunted to extinction in the mid-1800s. The lowland species was however saved. In captivity and through an incredible extensive effort for conservation, began an incredibly successful reintroduction programme. In late 2020, the European bison changed classification from vulnerable to near threatened. They are still not entirely out of the woods though. Many habitats they have been reintroduced to are not optimal, herds are isolated from each other, and only 8 of the 47 herds are large enough to be genetically viable longterm.  

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