POLOKWANE – A local artist, Tesh Chivaze, and his team have set their sights on creating the Big Five as part of a project they embarked on at the start of the new year.
Skippy Darna and Shaun Chivaze make up the remainder of the three-man team who creates works of art from wires and recycled material.
This project, Tesh explained, began with the creation of a rhinoceros, something they did to highlight the impact poaching has on the species.
“The rhinoceros is probably the most recognisable of the Big Five at the moment as they have been thrust into the spotlight due to the threat to the species’ survival because they are being poached for their horns. The completion of the rhinoceros inspired us to create the remainder of the Big Five to make a complete set,” Tesh explained.
So far they have completed the rhinoceros, lion, and leopard with the next on the list being the buffalo and last but not least the elephant.
They plan to be done with the project by Friday.
“The Big Five has already been reserved but we plan to embark on many similar projects along with the other art pieces we create. It is a way to showcase our talent while earning an honest living. It is something we all love doing,” Tesh concluded.
