“Wildlife Wonders” by Gillie and Marc

We can never get enough (see our Wildlife, Paparazzi Dogs, and most recently Herd of Hope posts) of artists Gillie and Marc’s works. Now, Rabbitwoman and Dogman have returned to The World Trade center, bringing along some endangered friends to shine a light on wildlife conservation efforts.

At the center of “The Arms of Friendship,” sits the world’s largest octopus sculpture. Surrounded by a group of his wild animal friends, he welcomes all to climb aboard and explore. If climbing is not your thing, feel free to sit at “The Wild Table of Love” alongside bronze sculptures of various animals currently facing extinction enjoying teatime. We encourage you to go enjoy these immersive sculptures as Gillie and Marc bring us face to face with wildlife, urging us all to take action and protect the wild before we lose these beloved creatures.

"A Wild Life for Wildlife" by Gillie and Marc

Photos by Sophie Singh

Contemporary artists Gillie and Marc, known as “eco warriors, with a deep respect for the close spiritual bond between humans and animals” are taking us to the wild side at The World Trade Center with their latest exhibition “A Wild Life For Wildlife”.  Rabbitwoman and Dogman, Gillie and Marc’s best known and beloved characters, take us on a journey with endangered animals who ride in tandem in hopes for a better tomorrow. Gillie and Marc invite the public to join the beautiful, endangered creatures in a quest to educate the public about each animal’s “life, needs, and threats..putting wildlife conservation at the center of people’s cities and lives.” With a sister exhibition running alongside in London, we can help share endangered species’ stories through the hashtag #LoveTheLast.

XO World Project

Shining in the sun, a massive, metal globe stands beside a silver jack, from the children’s game jacks, with crossed arms attached to the center spoke. The sculpture forms a giant “XO” in front of One World Trade Center. The sculpture by Daniel Anderson, called “XO World,” is part of the XO World Project, an initiative that aims to “encourage people of all ages to lend their voice and take action to advance the causes of peace, love and inclusion worldwide.” The artist says that he was inspired by “children and their open acceptance of others. A child’s mind and heart are free of prejudice regardless of race, gender, or religion,” an attitude that Anderson hopes will spread. Standing on the site of the tragedy of 9/11, the placement of the sculpture is evocative, adding an extra layer of pathos to the statue promoting peace and understanding. The shining sculpture sends a powerful message to anyone who sees it.

World Trade Center Mural Project

The World Trade Center “Mural Project” had its origins because of a collaboration between gallery owner Doug Smitch of the World Trade Gallery and Dara McQuillan of Silversten Properties. That collaboration, “Graffiti in the Sky,” featured sixty well-known street artists painting 34,000 square feet on the 69th floor of 4 World Trade Center, overlooking the 9/11 Memorial. After the success of this project, Silverstein Properties partnered with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to feature some of the same artists who have created large-scale murals on steel sheds at the future site of 2 World Trade Center next to the Oculus. We greatly enjoyed the infusion of color and artistry at this site, and the artists—including Joohee Park, known as Stickymonger—do a wonderful job of bringing to the site a message for a hopeful future.