Gillie and Marc

March 14 to March 29, 2018

- PRESS RELEASE -

Lilac Gallery New York is pleased to present “Gillie and Marc in New York” an exhibition of works by the couple artist Gillie and Marc. A stunning collection of fine art and sculpture with his latest collection honoring the installation of the biggest Rhino sculpture on earth with the official unveiling on March 15, 2018 in New York City.

The Last Three, which is being installed in the heart of New York City in March 2018, will be used to raise critical awareness and funds needed to protect the northern white rhinos, and to encourage participation in a petition for approaching Chinese and Vietnamese governments about eliminating the demand for rhino horns.

Gillie and Marc are international contemporary artists who have collaborated to create art as one for over 25-years. Before becoming parents Gillie and Marc were intrepid travelers who decided to settle down in New York to raise their family. Their first New York art exhibition was in 1996 and since then they have had both sculptures and paintings displayed in various New York galleries and public spaces including DUMBO, Rockefeller Centre, Avenue of the Americas and Greenwich Village.

Gillie and Marc travelled to Kenya in March 2017 to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy  (the second largest conservancy in Kenya with around 90,000 acres) to share time with the last three surviving northern white rhinos in the world.  These 3 northern white rhinoceroses are guarded 24-hours a day to protect them from poaching, which is a major problem for rhinoceroses. The protection includes horn-imbedded transmitters, watchtowers, fences, drones, guard dogs, and trained armed guards around the clock. 

In their trips to Africa Gillie and Marc spent each day driving back and forth to be with them, to study them and work closely with Jacob, their primary carer. He allowed them to get up close and touch Sudan who is completely tame - he loved being tickled under the belly and in his very thick skin folds. They photographed him, sketched him and filmed him for five days.  He was a very gentle soul and they could feel his melancholy. Unfortunately, he is too old to mount a female rhino and so cannot breed, his legs are old and arthritic and he is blind in his left eye. Gillie and Marc felt he knew he was the last one of his kind on earth. His daughter and granddaughter were also tame and they could touch them and get close to them too. They are both infertile so also cannot mate, so the inevitable is near for these magnificent creatures. Gillie and Marc were overwhelmed with love and grief, and felt so honoured to be in their presence for so many hours.

As the artist explains "We’re about to witness the imminent extinction of the northern white rhinos. From a population of 40,000 there are only 3 northern white rhinos left, making them the rarest animals on earth. Their names are Sudan, Najin. and Fatu."

Rhino horns are worth more than their weight in gold, so the last 3 are under constant threat from armies of poachers. Monumental sculpture artists - Gillie and Marc - are making the world's tallest rhino sculpture to inspire, educate, and mobilise a global community to raise their voices, and affect real change against rhino horn sales.