Furadan Feline: panthero leo leo (African lion) (work of art)
Artwork Info
Key Ideas
- This sculpture is the artist’s response to the poisoning of lions in Africa. The lions were poisoned with a toxic chemical called Furadan. To protect their livestock from lions, herders put this chemical on the remains of livestock. The lions eat the remains and die.
- The pink circle pattern used on the ears, eyes, and nose of this sculpture looks similar to the pink circle pattern on Furadan packaging.
- The blue plaid and red striped cloth pieces used on this sculpture were cut from shukas. This is a type of garment worn by the Maasai people of Kenya.
- Anne Lemanski is a North Carolina artist who creates mixed-media animal sculptures. Her work brings attention to current social, political, and environmental issues.
- Lemanski makes her sculptures out of copper rods and uses various materials (paper, plastic, fabric or leather) for their “skin” and facial features.
Learn More
Furadan Feline was created in response to the poisoning of lions in Kenya. Furadan is a pesticide that is toxic to wildlife. Herders in Kenya put the pesticide on livestock remains that they know will attract lions. When the lions eat the livestock remains, this odorless and tasteless chemical kills them. Raising cattle is the main livelihood of the Maasai people, which is why they are poisoning the lions that eat their cattle.
The pink circle pattern used on the ears, eyes, and nose of the sculpture mimics the pink circle pattern used on the product packaging for Furadan. The blue plaid cloth and red striped cloth were cut from shukas, a type of garment worn by the Maasai people. Blue and red are important colors to the Maasai people. Red is a symbol of bravery, and blue is a symbol of energy.
Anne Lemanski is a multidisciplinary artist who is based in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. She is best known for her animal sculptures and collage prints. She studied at the College of Creative Studies in Michigan. In 2015 she was an artist-in-residence at the McColl Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her work is inspired by various social, political, and environmental issues.
Everyone brings their own emotions and politics to a piece, and a connection can happen at many different levels.
Anne Lemanski
Lemanski makes her sculptures out of copper rods and uses various materials for the skin and facial features. She begins by shaping copper rods into the skeleton of the animal or object she is creating. She solders all of her copper-rod skeletons by hand. Next she creates a pattern from the form. Then she chooses a material like paper, plastic, or fabric for the skin. To complete the sculpture, she stitches this material onto the copper form.
Every material responds differently to the contours of the framework; paper differs greatly from plastic, leather or wood veneer. The work I enjoy most is deciding what the skin will be and putting it together. That’s when things really start to take shape, and there is always a surprise in the way the material transforms once it is sewn onto the skeleton.
Anne Lemanski
Additional Resources
Resources for Teachers
- Read an interview with Lemanski.
- Read an article about the threat that Furadan poses to Kenyan lion populations.
- Watch a video interview with the artist.
Resources for Students
- Read the artist’s biography.
- Read an article about the meanings of Maasai colors and symbols.
- Watch a video about Lemanski’s Simulacra exhibition.
Images
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Furadan Feline: panthero leo leo (African lion)
A sculpture of a lion’s head made out of fabric and paper. Colorful patterns and colors decorate the surface and facial features of the sculpture.
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Furadan Feline: panthero leo leo (African lion), Anne Lemanski
A sculpture of a lion’s head made out of fabric and paper. Colorful patterns and colors decorate the surface and facial features of the sculpture.