Pink Dolphin 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
Tonga
TITLE
Love The Pink Dolphin
GENDER
Male
AGE
11
FOUND
South America
CONSERVATION STATUS
Endangered
This pink boy is 11 years old and loves swimming around his jungle river in the Amazon. He is very playful and loves to explore everything in his waters. For someone so curious, there are so many interesting things to see! But sadly he has been facing an unhealthy struggle. The water and fish of his home are becoming polluted and he is forever competing for his favourite dinner, catfish. Hunters want fish too, and they're not afraid to kill him if he gets in their way.
Dolphins are one of the oldest creatures found in the world and are part of the cetacean family, which includes whales and porpoises. The Amazon River dolphin, also known as the "pink dolphin" or "boto", is a charismatic creature found throughout most of the Amazon river as well as the Orinoco river basins. They are classified as a species of toothed whale and are the biggest of all river dolphins.
Dolphins are highly intelligent creatures. Studies have shown that they have great self awareness, they recognise different parts of their body, and their environment. It is known that they feel emotions and are capable of abstract thought. To see through their murky waters, these clever creatures use a very special technique called "echolocation". By making noises such as clicks and whistles, they can listen and feel the sound bouncing off the objects in their surroundings. Unlike the open ocean, obstacles like tree roots in the shallow waters of the river make it particularly difficult for pink river dolphins to find their way.
Pink dolphins give birth in the flooding season of the Amazon river, which is between May and June. This gives the mother and her babies a better chance at survival as they stay in the swollen rivers much longer than the males. When the water levels eventually lower, there is an abundance of food, the perfect opportunity for the baby dolphin and mum to feast and build up their strength. The baby will suckle on its mother’s milk for the first year so it is important that there is plenty of food for mum to sustain the production of milk. Young dolphins start out their life a dark grey colour, turning light grey in adolescence. It takes 2-3 years until the babies are independent adults. This extended time together gives the little dolphin all the skills they need to take on the river as a successful dolphin.
They vary from grey to pink depending on age, but they are best known for being pink in colour. Nobody knows exactly why they take on this pink hue; it could have something to do with the temperature of the water, repeated abrasions of their skin, or perhaps because of the red mud on the riverbed. Really, nobody knows for sure.
Pink dolphins are listed as endangered, but it is not known how many there are left. They face many threats. The rivers are becoming contaminated with dangerous substances such as mercury, a result of illegal mining in the area. The mercury seeps into the fish that they eat, poisoning them in return. They are also at risk from fishing practices. They often get caught up in fishing gear, but are also deliberately hunted and killed. They are considered competition for the fishermen looking for catfish, so to increase their success rate, they will kill the dolphins. Off the back of this, the dolphins are also killed and used as bait for Piracatinga fishery, an industry that fetches the fishermen much higher prices and has also created a market for dolphin carcasses.
Efforts made for their protection include ensuring better standards in fishing - in 2012 the pink dolphin was declared a national treasure, and as such it is now illegal to kill the pink dolphin. But there is still a long way to go to ensure the protection of this unique dolphin, and that's why we do what we do.
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
SPONSORED BY
Moses Family - Evan, Kelli, Rhiannon, Dean, Rhys, Kylie & Alan