World's longest sculpture arrives at Gardens by the Bay to raise awareness of wildlife conservation

Published May 2023 by Channel News Asia

The artwork, which stretches 192m, features 60 endangered animals cast in bronze.



SINGAPORE: The Gardens by the Bay is now host to the world's longest sculpture, which serves as a call for visitors to do their part to save wildlife.

The artwork, named Love the Last March, features 60 endangered animals cast in bronze.
 
It stretches a whopping 192m - 10m more than the height of the world's tallest sculpture, the Statue of Unity in India.

CALL FOR VISITORS TO SAVE WILDLIFE

Love the Last March by artists Marc and Gillie Schattner features both land and sea animals. Regional species such as orangutans and elephants also make an appearance.  
 
“We wanted to really be able to show the world how important this message is,” said Ms Gillie Schattner. 
 
“And so we thought, let's make it the biggest one in the world because if we make it the biggest one in the world, it's going to get noticed and when it gets noticed, we're going to be able to help all of these animals that so desperately need our help.”

“In cities, we're never going to see the wildlife. We're so remote from any wildlife. People need connection,” said Mr Marc Schattner. 
 
“And so us doing public sculptures is a way of bringing back physically, although it's a sculpture, bringing back those animals into an urban setting. And people want to see them.”
 
It takes about three minutes to walk the length of the sculpture. 
 
Each sculpture has a QR code that brings visitors to a page with more information about the animals’ diet, behaviour, and why the species is endangered.

AIDING CONSERVATION EFFORTS

Visitors can also make donations. 
 
“These funds will make a tremendous contribution to WWF Singapore's conservation efforts in the region and also globally,” said WWF Singapore’s conservation and science director Elizabeth Clarke, stressing the importance of taking action to address the problem. 
 
“We're facing an extinction crisis right now. So since the 1970s, our research shows that we've lost a staggering 69 per cent of global wildlife populations and it's wildlife such as these species that are critical for underpinning many of the ecosystem services and our planetary health.”
 
The sculpture will remain at Gardens by the Bay until May 18 next year.

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