Organised jointly with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and Rise Gallery the London mural features a rhino and child and is the first of Sonny’s ‘To The Bone’ paintings to incorporate a human element.
IFAW UK Director Philip Mansbridge said:
“IFAW is delighted to be working with Sonny to highlight the critical plight of some of our most endangered wildlife. Sonny’s stunning murals are a great way to make us stop and think about some of our most iconic species and what we can do to protect them.”
The mural is painted across a huge wall, on the corner of Fell Road and High Street, in Croydon, London. This mural is timely too – just a week or so ago an auction took place for rhino horn in South Africa, after a successful High Court challenge overturned the previous ban. IFAW, and all leading conservationists, fear that open sale of a limited supply of rhino horn will only do more harm than good when it comes to rhino poaching.
“I’m really excited to be bringing my project to London, especially as I have never painted here before despite being born in the UK. In big cities, where wildlife is not usually top of mind, it’s easy to forget about the extinction crisis we’re facing. That’s why I’m bringing my wild animals into the city for all to see.”
– Sonny