Meet the World Famous Artists Coming to McKee
The artists arriving at McKee next month have been called the most prolific and successful creators of public art in New York's history by the Times.
Gillie & Marc Schattner have installed bronze animals in over 250 cities, from Singapore to Shanghai to London. Best known for their recurring characters Rabbitwoman and Dogman, the British-Australian duo work as self-described eco-warriors, using sculpture as a platform for wildlife conservation. Their 17-foot rhino sculpture in New York, The Last Three, is the tallest of its kind in the world, and its unveiling doubled as a petition pressuring the Chinese and Vietnamese governments over the rhino horn trade. It's one of several conservation-driven projects in their portfolio, alongside Love the Last March and A Wild Life for Wildlife.
Return of the Wild opens along the Garden's paths from October 10 through December: baby giraffes, cheetahs, elephants, hippos, bears, zebras, arctic foxes, and a giant tortoise, populating the Garden under McKee's century-old trees to spotlight animals facing real conservation threats, several critically so. Jungle in Bloom follows in January. Learn more about the exhibit here.
Mockups of sculptures set to appear along the garden path
The rest of October brings a rich variety of educational programming. Local art historian Christopher Fasolino's five-part Fall Lecture Series runs Saturdays through October 24. Pearl Lau teaches a Monet-style waterlily painting workshop, three Fridays (16, 23, 30). Amy Saville's cyanotype series wraps its last session October 10. Tai Chi and Qi Gong take Tuesday mornings all month, and Pilates starts October 28. See the full lineup of classes here.
