The wildLIFE Project
This work takes the form of a full-scale sculpture of Sudan, the last known male Northern White Rhino. Protected at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya, Sudan became a global symbol of a species on the brink of extinction. He died before the completion of this piece, which now stands in his honor.
Only two females of the species remain, underscoring the irreversible loss of an entire lineage. The near-extinction of the Northern White Rhino is driven in large part by poaching, as rhino horn—valued in some traditional medicines and illicit markets—remains one of the most lucrative wildlife commodities.
In this work, Maruyama preserves Sudan’s presence at a one-to-one scale, creating a monument that is both memorial and witness to a species pushed to the edge.