A short review by Christie Yung Hei Chan
‘Northern White Rhino’ is my favourite piece in Rachel Jefferson’s recent painting series about endangered animals. In this painting, a majestic white rhino appears to be striding across a verdant field, in solitude, under a dark blue sky glistened by the silver moonlight.
To begin with, the imagery is mesmerising. The neatly outlined motifs, along with the use of vibrant colours and glittering metallic ink, vaguely reminded me of the gilded illustrations in some illuminated manuscripts from the Middle Ages. In terms of scale and composition, the painting is also reminiscent of stained glass windows of medieval Europe. They are both large pictorial art forms that intend to disperse meaning—although rather than informing the populace of biblical narratives, Rachel’s work creates a discourse into the situation of species affected by human interference. The rhino in her painting almost looks otherworldly, as if the artist is trying to convince viewers that it is a mythical creature—or otherwise, it is going to become one.
The sad reality is that northern white rhinos are functionally extinct.
The last male northern white rhino in the world died in 2018. There are now only two female northern white rhinos left. For decades, rhinos have been rampantly hunted for their horns, gradually leading to their irreversible plight.
Rachel’s work is currently on display in Our Fragile Coexistence, a recent exhibition curated by Art Matters Now. Hopefully, Rachel’s beautiful painting will serve as a reminder of the importance of animal conservation.
Edited by Christie Chan 陳雍希