Pygmy Tarsier - The Second Coming Series

Oil and 23ct Gold Leaf on Hand Carved Mahogany Icon Board.

The 'Second Coming Collection' focuses on species that were declared extinct but have since been rediscovered, have almost 'come back from the dead' in a sense. I wanted to capture the awe in this rediscovery by painting the animal on icon boards that are usually used for religious figure such as Christ and Saints. These species should be revered like sacred figures, as against the odds they have survived and at the same time are very precious as there are very few left. The gold leaf on the icon board highlights the precious nature of these animals, whilst at the same time elevating their status as something divine that should be held in the highest regard. These boards have also been hand carved out of reclaimed Church pews which almost add in a way to the meaning behind using them.
The second in this series is the cute Pygmy Tarsier, Indonesia's smallest primate species. It was though to have become extinct during the early 20th century. However, in 2000, one was accidentally killed by Indonesian scientists while trapping rats. The first of this species seen at large since the 1920s were discovered by researchers from Texas A&M University in Lore Lindu National Park on Mount Rore Katimbo in August 2008

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