Animal lovers in Singapore don’t have to travel all the way to the zoo now for a picture-perfect opportunity with some wildlife.
From now till 18 May 2024, Gardens By The Bay plays host to 62 bronze sculptures of endangered animals — some of which are larger than life.
From majestic gorillas and statuesque giraffes to lesser-seen species like the Giant Pacific Octopus, visitors have much to marvel at.
The sculptures together measure a whopping 192 metres and are a passion project five years in the making by artists Gillie and Marc.
Titled ‘Love The Last March’, the artwork in its entirety hopes to spread awareness about the most endangered species on the planet.
At first glance, these sculptures may look like any other generic animal statue.
Look closer, though, and you’ll realise that each piece has been fashioned after an existing animal with a name and age.
The first statue in the 192-metre-long sculpture, for example, was modelled after a 25-year-old male gorilla from Congo who goes by the name Elombe.
As it turns out, each sculpture is based on animals that the artists themselves have photographed and sketched over the years.
This personal touch makes every statue all the more special.
With no barricades in sight, the public is invited to get up close and personal with the animals.
When MS News visited the site, the statues seemed to be an immediate hit as many stopped for photo ops, caressing the bronze models.
While the statues were made of recycled bronze, each animal still retained a life-like quality in their expressions.
From the details in the eyes to the wrinkles in the skin, it’s almost as though the animals were there in the flesh.
One can only imagine how much time and effort went into crafting each one of them.
The intricacies certainly required much time and effort — artists Gillie and Marc took five years to complete the project.
What started as a self-funded passion project snowballed into something larger when sponsors bought into the idea.
Speaking to sponsors, partners, and the media, Gillie and Marc shared that debuting the public artwork at Gardens By The Bay was a “dream come true”.
The award-winning artists are on a mission to “rewild the world” through ‘Love The Last March’ — with Singapore being the first stop.
While an older audience can appreciate the important messaging and craftmanship, the children were simply awestruck by the scale of the animals.
So to all you parents out there, here’s a chance to keep your kids entertained while teaching them about wildlife.
For tech-savvy adults though, there’s also an Augmented Reality (AR) experience for some added excitement.
Simply scan the QR code with your smartphone and voila, the statues will come to life.
If you’re looking forward to experiencing ‘Love The Last March’, here’s how you can get there:
Love The Last March @ Gardens By The Bay
Address: Silver Gardens, 18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018953
Dates: 19 May 2023 – 18 May 2024
Opening Hours: 5am – 2am daily
Nearest MRT: Gardens By The Bay Station
The sculpture starts at Silver Gardens and winds around Dragonfly Lake, with a stunning backdrop of Marina Bay Sands (MBS).
As the sculpture will be there for about a year, there’s absolutely no need to rush to view the installation.
In fact, take your time to get acquainted with each and every one of the animals.
‘Love The Last March’ is a must-go for all animal lovers.
It’s also a rare chance to get up close and personal with some endangered wildlife.
Kudos to Gillie and Marc for accomplishing this feat and using their passion for art and wildlife for good.
You can also visit the official website for more details about the artwork and each animal.
Will you be visiting the exhibit at Gardens By The Bay? Let us know in the comments.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
All images by MS News. Photography by Iskandar Rossali.
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