Perth Zoo showcases works-of-art by a number of talented artists. Their work reminds us to appreciate what makes Earth’s diverse species so unique and worthy in their own right.
Gillie & Marc
British-born Gillie and Australian-born Marc have a special connection to the world’s wildlife and are passionate eco-warriors. Gillie and Marc’s highly sought-after public artworks adorn major cities worldwide. Their art has raised hundreds of thousands in donations for the many wildlife charities and causes they support. Creating some of the world’s most innovative public sculptures, Gillie and Marc are redefining what public art should be, spreading messages of love, equality and conservation around the world.
Gillie and Marc’s Wild About Babies bronze art exhibition came to Perth Zoo on National Threatened Species Day 2023. The exhibition includes 21 striking bronze sculptures representing threatened wildlife from around the globe.
David Jones
Perth artist David Jones has connections to the Wilman, Kaniyang, and Goreng Noongar Nations. His intricate, nature-inspired illustrations celebrate biodiversity and cultural heritage, creating art that connects people to the natural world.
David created the iconic artwork featured out the front of the Zoo and along the picnic lawn. The artwork celebrates the six Noongar seasons – Birak, Bunuru, Djeran, Makuru, Djilba and Kambarang – an important cultural framework for understanding and caring for Country. The piece punctuates the new arbor at the heart of the Zoo, symbolising renewal and connection.
Just as each season represents a new beginning, David’s hand-drawn illustrations were inspired by the ancient breeding patterns of species that reproduce during these times. Featured are the critically endangered Numbat, Western Swamp Turtle, and Margaret River Hairy Marron – all part of Perth Zoo’s breeding programs – alongside other iconic fauna including a goanna, snake, frog, emu, cockatoo, kangaroo, fish, and swan.
Through this work, David invites us to reflect on the deep relationship between seasonal cycles, wildlife, and cultural knowledge, reinforcing the importance of conservation and respect for Country.
Si Hummerston
Si Hummerston is an accomplished professional public artist and Claremont School of Art graduate who has been creating work for more than a quarter of a century. Si was previously a TAFE lecturer and is now a full-time sculptor specialising in Public Art. Constructing in timber, mild steel, aluminium, copper, bronze and repurposed materials, Si creates both 2D and 3D works. His public sculptures are monumental and built to withstand the elements and a high level of human interaction. Local fauna and flora are common references to help tie the significance of the site to the surrounding environment.
Si’s work is peppered all around Perth Zoo—the playground gumnuts, the great steel dragonflies by the lake, the beached dinghy at Crocodiles, the vine-tangled tree inside the otter exhibit.
Artforms
Artforms is a dedicated collective of skilled and experienced artists with a desire to transform environments. With years of proven success in the creative arts, design and engineering fields, Artforms’ team combines expertise to produce large-scale sculptures for both private and public domains. Combining beauty and form with every day functionality, Artforms’ extensive knowledge of materials, finishes and fabrication methods ensures crafted, durable, quality products.
Their work is appears all over Perth metro area and regional Western Australia. You can enjoy the work of the Artforms Team at the Zoo too—the giant crocodile art piece, restorations of the Galapagos Tortoise statues and bogged jeep, even the farewell memorial plaque for Asian Elephant, Tricia.
Daniel Browne/CDM Studio
Sculptor Daniel Browne’s CDM Studio is a leader in the design, sculpting and 3D printing of animals. The Perth-based modelmaking, fabrication and design company creates interpretive zoological models for museums, visitor centres, zoos and public spaces.
Many of Perth Zoo’s sculptures were produced by Dan in the early 2000s and are still going strong—and regularly photographed!—today. The Sun Bear, Komodo Dragon, Perentie and Galapagos Tortoise interactives.