Dimensions
101.2 x 274.4 x 86.6 inch (L) 4766.4 lbs
259 x 697 x 220 cm (H*L*W) 2162 kgs
Medium
Bronze
Style
Contemporary Sculpture, Activist Art, Wildlife
Edition Number
/3
Description
Please note
* King Nyani edition 1/3 is currently located at Brookfield Zoo, Chicago
* King Nyani edition 2/3 will be installed at the Bruce Museum, CT, USA
* King Nyani edition 3/3 will be installed at Taronga Zoo, Sydney, Australia
The gorilla is a majestic animal and, as it shares 98% of our DNA, is one of our closest relatives. But our cousins are in trouble. There may only be 1000 mountain gorillas left in the wild and fewer than 3800 eastern lowland gorillas. And humans are the reason why. Illegal poaching, war and deforestation are making it harder and harder for this beautiful animal to survive. It’s up to us to save them.
Gillie and Marc have created this monumental sculpture entitled King Nyani. Nyani is ‘gorilla’ translated in Swahili. While traveling in Uganda, Africa, they became entranced by a silverback. The kindness, compassion and empathy he showed for his family made Gillie and Marc want to share the gentle side of this special creature with the world – a side that is often overlooked. Inspired by the iconic story of King Kong, the artists decided to give New York a different slant on the story. Now New York can fall in love rather than cower in fear as they see his true nature, while becoming the new champions for gorillas and their conservation.
This installation is the largest bronze gorilla sculpture on the planet and gives an interactive experience unlike any other. With his hand large enough to hold one or two people, the public can get up close and personal with this gentle giant where they will undoubtedly fall in love with him. In the movie, Kong picks up Ann in his hand to protect her. Now all of New York is invited to sit in his hand where it’s our turn to protect him.
King Nyani is the artists’ interpretation of this magnificent animal, and is intended to represent all gorillas, including mountain and lowland gorillas. He is part of the broader ‘Love The Last’ project – a social movement driven by public art to raise awareness, funds and support for endangered animals across the world, and to encourage people to take action before we lose these animals forever.
Help share King Nyani’s story through the hashtag #LoveTheLast
About WWF
For close to 60 years, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has been working to protect both people and the natural world, aiming to protect the delicate balance in which our entire planet hangs. As the world’s leading organization for conservation, WWF works all around the world, collaborating with people from all walks of life to develop and deliver innovative solutions that protect all living things – people, animals and the environment.
WWF has been working successfully on many different strategies to protect gorillas. They have established a monitoring system for the illegal trade of gorillas while advocating for nations to enforce wildlife laws more effectively and educating communities on the dangers of eating bushmeat. They have also trained and provided equipment to local authorities to help combat poaching, conducted research to monitor populations, established protected areas to preserve gorilla habitats and established and promoted ecotourism, an initiative that positively benefits both gorillas and local people. As a result of WWF’s work, mountain gorilla numbers have increased by 17% in the Virunga Mountains, bringing a species back from the brink of extinction and making it the only wild ape in the world with an increasing population. Their integrated approach to conservation has proven to be effective.
By supporting WWF you are ensuring that these beautiful creatures remain on the planet and that their habitat, which as the world’s second-largest remaining rainforest plays a critical role in mitigating climate change, survives for generations to come. You are also helping to improve the lives of local community members and ensure they are part of developing long-term, sustainable conservation solutions for gorillas.
Artwork Features
Gillie and Marc love working in bronze for many reasons. Bronze is a very hardy material and will last forever. As experts in coloring bronze, Gillie and Marc enjoy experimenting with their sculptures, adding a splash of color to brighten the work, making it even more unique. > Read more
For every purchase of a bronze sculpture you will receive a certificate of authenticity, titled, signed, dated and editioned by the artists.
Care Instructions
Bronze is very easy to clean, allowing you to enjoy your precious sculpture with minimal upkeep. > Read more
Shipping, Returns and Refunds
Please visit this page to learn all about our policies. > Read more
