Amour Leopard by @MCRT.Studio in Brisbane

The subject is an Amur tiger – the rarest and most endangered species of big cat on the planet. Having been born in Russia, I fondly remember being present amidst the breathtakingly vast plains with no civilization for hundreds of miles. These desolate landscapes are the natural habitat of the Amur tiger. With under 400 Amur tigers left in the wild, my artwork depicts a species on the verge of extinction. Having lost a vast majority of their habitat due to deforestation, the dwindling population of these majestic creatures were hunted to near extinction during the 20th century. X-ray-like skeleton shows the frailty of life, even one as powerful as this apex predator. The black-and-white marble statue references give prominence to the way humanity deals with death – they immortalise those that have passed in stone. Sadly, a similar fate now awaits the Amur tiger. I want to create a mural that will start a conversation with the passer-by on the street. What decisions have lead us to the state the world is in today? Are things better now? Has there ever been a time when humans and wildlife lived peacefully side-by-side? Can there be a time as such in the future? I believe there can be. What about you?