#42 Mapungubwe Revisited
Mapungubwe Revisited (H190mm, W300mm, D110mm to be cast in bronze)
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At last Mapungubwe Revisited is ready to be shared with you! After reading the narrative, feel free to watch our short video clip by following the link below, or find out more about the unique conservation sculpture castings, including the single pure gold rhino by linking to the webpage. And if you feel this is an important initiative, please share it with family and friends…
800 years ago, on the top of Mapungubwe Hill, where the great Limpopo and Shashe rivers converge, a member of the royal family was laid to rest, and within the grave was placed a little rhino, fifteen centimetres long and made of pure gold.
This compelling artwork speaks to us through time, and as an artist I see its significance not only as a symbol of the rich cultural legacy of Africa, but, as it was not a fragment of horn or body part, but a complete rhino, it thereby embodies a deeper connection with, Â and a reverence for this magnificent animal of Africa.
It could be said that this little rhino linked these people to the land through a sacred thread of belonging.
It speaks to me, and offers a signpost to something that we might have forgotten but fortunately not lost, for it can remind us that the natural world around us is much more than a commodity, a space or a view, it is an intrinsic part of who we are and where we have come from, and each rhino killed or tract of land destroyed is another part of ourselves lost. This little rhino makes visible the deep connection we have with the natural world, a connection which sustains our souls and reminds us to tread more lightly upon the earth.
It was these thoughts and sentiments that inspired me to create Mapungubwe Revisited, not only as a way to speak of the rhino, but to also bring these perspectives of our relationship with the earth back into our modern world.
As we walk the trail of life, the rhino walks beside us, each an important part of our inter-connected world.
Thoughts, opportunities and sharing
If this story, the plight of the rhino, or our impact upon the earth concerns you, please feel free to share it, post it, forward it, or place an order for a sculpture. This initiative can potentially raise over R1 million through sculpture sales (even excluding the gold rhino) and broaden the narrative about our relationship with the earth. Proceeds go to WWF-SA and The Wilderness Foundation to support their excellent work.
To see the video : click here ( if need be, allow the video to download and then replay it without breaks)
To learn more, visit the webpage
To share, use the buttons below or send it to a friend