Megafauna - Dreaming Giants
CURRENT LOCATION COMING SOON
AN INTERACTIVE PUBLIC ART EXHIBITION OF THE WORLD’S OLDEST CONTINUOUS HUMAN CULTURE AND THE GIANT MEGAFAUNA THAT HELPED SHAPE IT.
Megafauna roamed the earth between 2.5 million to 11,700 years ago. Australia was home to some mighty animals, with towering kangaroos, gigantic goanna, and the largest marsupial ever to live, the Diprotodon. But what’s more fascinating is that humans once lived among them.
Aboriginal Australians are the oldest continuous culture in the world. Their history can be dated back 60,000-80,000 years, meaning they roamed the earth with Megafauna. Fossil evidence combined with the oldest art on the planet begins to tell a fascinating story of Art and science. But now when we understand the Aboriginal Dreaming stories, many of these giants shaped the entire culture.
Internationally renowned Australian artists, Gillie and Marc will be recreating the Australian Megafauna with 10 monumental bronze sculptures. Working alongside palaeontologists, these epic creatures will be brought to life with startling detail. Including their towering size.
But this story isn’t just about the Megafauna. It’s also a story about humans. Painted by indigenous artists and experts, the stories from the Dreaming will be recreated on the bodies of the animals. Swirling with ancient knowledge, each sculpture will be adorned by a Dreaming story associated with the animal, giving a glimpse into the ancient culture of the longest continuous people in the world.
Beneath their feet the land of the Pliocene will also come to life, helping us to understand exactly what it was like to be alive at this time. And walking beside the giants will be the ancient people themselves, solidifying the ancient history that humans and wildlife have. This is the oldest connection currently understood and it’s one that should be celebrated.
All of the Megafauna are 100% interactive, ready to be climbed on and touched. They also come with signs and QR codes to give the public explanations of the stories, history, and culture, giving them a much deeper appreciation. Connected with AR technology, these animals will literally come to life, giving the public a spectacular experience they will never forget, letting them walk with giants, just like Aboriginal Australians used to.
The story of the ancient Aboriginal people of Australia and their interactions with Megafauna are some of the most important for everyone around the world. These interactions have shaped our past, present, and influence our future. Taking this exhibition all the way to NYC is giving New Yorkers a unique opportunity to learn from a culture they may never have known about.
This sparks the fire of curiosity. From here we can create conservationists, learning from the past to understand how we can protect the wildlife of the present. It also sparks anthropologists, those fascinated by the knowledge that has been persevered by such a
strong culture. For Australia, this is another way to be put on the global stage, sharing the incredible history of this land and inspiring travellers to check it out for themselves.
The spirit of these magnificent creatures lives on through the Dreaming. They give us a unique opportunity to learn so that this time, we can stop another mass extinction. Dreaming Giants is one of the most important stories of mankind's development and our intricate connection to our environment. Now is our chance to share this special slice of Australia with the world. the world.
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.
Through their art, Gillie and Marc aim to transform passive audiences into passionate advocates for animal conservation. Their mission is to use their work as a platform to continue spreading awareness about endangerment, which will ultimately lead to change and save species from extinction.
Their art has raised hundreds of thousands in donations for the many wildlife charities and causes they support through their project Love The Last.
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