Today we collaborate with Space for Giants, The Independent and The Evening Standard on the launch of a meaningful new campaign - #ArtForAnimals. We have a huge respect for the...
Today we collaborate with Space for Giants, The Independent and The Evening Standard on the launch of a meaningful new campaign - #ArtForAnimals. We have a huge respect for the charity, led by Dr Max Graham in Kenya, and were flattered to be asked to lead their new initiative alongside fellow artist Adrian Steirn. The aim is to raise funds through the sale of charity edition prints to help Space for Giants in their mission to end the illegal wildlife trade. For the next four weeks, you will have the opportunity to purchase a charity edition print from myself and/or Adrian Steirn. I am delighted to partner with Adrian who is an outstanding artist. This photograph, entitled “Space For Giants”, was taken during the COVID-19 pandemic in Amboseli National Park, Kenya, and is a portrait of one of the most famous remaining big tuskers in the world; Craig. Big Tuskers are a genetic variation of an elephant with tusks so long they reach the ground. All the remaining 20 or so big tuskers live in Kenya. During the pandemic, I had the good fortune to spend several days with Craig. I see this image as the end validation of an investment of time, not just with this iconic elephant, but also with the good people of the Kenya Wildlife Service. I want to thank Daniel Kipkosgei, the Senior Park Warden at Amboseli, for his support and encouragement throughout the summer. This image involves a lot of fortune, most notably the clear early morning sky, allowing Kilimanjaro to add a layer of narrative and also the fact that we found Craig alone that day and in open ground. I would estimate the odds of that treble to be around 25/1. 2020 has reminded us all of the close relationship we still have with the wellbeing of the planet. I hope images like “Space For Giants” emphatically make the point that it is a relationship to be cherished. The profits will be used by Space for Giants to empower frontline law enforcers and prosecutors to create a major deterrent for wildlife criminals in the 20 African and Asian countries most affected by the illegal wildlife trade.