JOHANNESBURG, 17 January 2023
Guests form part of interactive wildlife artwork at Lion Sands Game Reserve
- MORE Family Collection has not only embraced the art trend that is currently gaining momentum in the safari world, but they have taken it one step further by encouraging guest involvement in the artwork
- Artist Gary Davis’s interactive wildlife artwork ‘Brothers in Arms’ was revealed at the New Year’s Eve celebration at Lion Sands Ivory Lodge
- Guest and staff signatures formed part of ‘Brothers in Arms’, the hyper-realistic charcoal artwork of two male lions
MORE Family Collection has radically innovated the concept of art safaris by actively involving their guests in the works of art.
Artist Gary Davis revealed his artwork ‘Brothers in Arms’ at a New Year’s Eve celebration at Lion Sands Ivory Lodge. The piece, a hyper-realistic charcoal drawing of two adult lions, is the culmination of his two months on the MORE Family Collection Artist Residency at Lion Sands Game Reserve.
‘Brothers in Arms’ became part of the guest experience as Davis encouraged guests and staff to sign their names on the burgeoning charcoal artwork, around the rough outline of the two lions. These signatures form the foundation to the stars and cosmos in the final piece, which is done in his signature hyper-realistic style. The final piece was dedicated to all the guests and staff who inspired Gary to create it as well precious souls past, present and future. “I believe that if it takes a village to raise a child, then it took the village to inspire this artist,” said Davis.
Robert More, CEO of MORE Family Collection, invited Gary to experience the inspiration of the natural world at Lion Sands: “When I met Gary, I was impressed by his artwork and vision. Our Artist Residency provided the perfect opportunity to showcase his work. That he would create this incredible interactive piece that our guests could truly be a part of, was just exceptional. We truly hope Gary’s time at Lion Sands has inspired many more artworks that will showcase the wildlife and environment that we are privileged to be a custodian of.” He added, “We want to push the boundaries of the guest experience and will continue to do so with innovative and new experiences in 2023.”
During his residency, Davis was able to witness the dynamics of the Southern and Styx Prides. Davis was inspired by the Styx pride previously, resulting in his piece ‘The Quiet Storm’. ‘Brothers in Arms’ was inspired by a photograph taken by Mike Borcherds, which Davis felt encapsulated the idea of a precious moment in time that would be lost forever if it was not shared. “The stark reality of a lion looking directly into your soul as he drinks water, and whose brother’s blue eyes stare forward piercing the darkness of night, splitting the universe in half.”
Guest Experience
This kind of enriching experience for guests is one of the things that the MORE Family Collection Artist Residency seeks to achieve. Established in 2021 and aligned with the Southern African Foundation for Contemporary Art (SAFFCA), it allows artists access to the incredible natural world at Lion Sands and gives them the space to be inspired and create within it.
Guests can see the environment through the artist’s eyes, engage with their process and even purchase the artworks from the gallery. A guest has already added ‘Brothers in Arms’ to their private collection.
The artwork arrived safely in the USA, purchased by a guest who said, “It is truly magnificent. You did a beautiful job, and it will truly be cherished by both of us.”
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For more information about MORE Family Collection, visit https://www.more.co.za/
Refer MORE Family Collection for more on Gary Davis (email – davisoriginals@gmail.com / +27 83 288 9706)
