Endangered by Porky Hefer (Design Miami / Basel, 2018)

Commissioned by One, All, Every to benefit the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation and in partnership with Southern Guild Gallery, Endangered is an innovative series of large-scale, functional, and sculptural designs featuring five endangered species: the orangutan, polar bear, sloth, blue whale, and great white shark. Making a deliberate shift towards eco-friendly materials, Hefer researched all possibilities leading him to collaborate with Cape Town textile artisan Ronel Jordaan and craft collectives Mielie and Heartworks. These collectives primarily work with sustainably sourced and recycled textiles gathered from South Africa and implement eco-friendly working environments for local artisans. The lively functional sculptures invite visitors to climb in, on and around the animals. The artist hopes that those who interact with the designs will reflect on “nature and its fragility, and… how everyone can do their part to protect it.” (All images courtesy Southern Guild and SFA Advisory / photos by Antonia Steyn)