Bronze Penguin Sculptures – Raising Awareness of Endangered Species
Posted on February 17, 2025
We are delighted to share with you that The Friends’ School has become the recipient of six beautiful life-size Emperor Penguin sculptures. The Moreton Family, who have children at Friends’, have loaned six bronze penguin sculptures. The penguins were made and purchased as part of the ‘Love The Last‘ campaign – a social movement through public art to raise awareness, funds and support for some of the world’s most endangered species. You can view more about the campaign and sculptures here and here.
World-renowned artists, Gillie and Marc, created 45 bronze animal sculptures as part of this campaign to tell the stories of these endangered species to drive positive change and ensure these animals don’t leave us forever. They have been pioneers in giving endangered animals a voice. You can also see some of their other works on the Hobart waterfront near MACq1 and in Salamanca Square. Gillie and Marc also have exhibitions in London, Miami, Singapore, Germany and Sydney.
Today, so many wildlife animals are endangered or at risk of extinction. According to a 2020 report from WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), the world has lost 68% of its wildlife in just four decades. When people interact with the sculptures it can be a step towards loving these animals; and if people can love these endangered animals they can begin to care for them and act to stop their extinction.
The penguins have been part of the largest bronze sculpture collection in the world, in Singapore’s Garden Bay, since May 2023. The Moreton family have brought them to Tasmania and kindly offered for the School to be their next home. On behalf of the School, we thank them for their kindness and the opportunity to learn from and enjoy these amazing penguin sculptures.
The penguins are located in two locations; three penguins outside The Farrall Centre on the grass area in the Argyle Street Campus, with the other three penguins on the synthetic grass area near the WN Oats Centre entrance at our Commercial Road Campus. We welcome you to come and visit these sculptures when you’re next at the School.
