Le Tamanoir (The Aardvark)

1960 (modeling); 1969 (casting)

Aardvark – Habitat fragmentation and destruction – Endangered species

Geneva-based animal sculptor Yvan Louis Larsen is the creator of the sculpture Le Tamanoir (The Aardvark). He created the model in 1960 and cast it in bronze in 1969 at the Pastori Foundry in Carouge. The animal is realistic, composed of clean, rounded lines, with the artist drawing inspiration from ancient Egyptian art and the famous 19th-century French animal sculptor François Pompon. The anteater, or giant anteater, is an endangered species found in the grasslands and rainforests of South America, suffering from arson caused by deforestation for livestock farming and the extraction of rare earth metals. Situated in Geneva’s urban environment, the sculpture thus raises questions about the transition toward sustainable practices.

Written by: Camille Thibaut