Behold Le Rhino de l’INSA a magnificent beast of bronze. This isn’t just any rhinoceros. It stands as a symbol of the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon. Created by sculptor Jean-Marc Bonnard in 2003 Le Rhino de l’INSA was part of a larger plan. The INSA Lyon aimed to integrate art into its campus. This wasn’t a simple placement. The rhino’s 500kg of cast iron were carefully positioned. Its location near the Humanities building was significant. Bonnard himself taught in the Arts Plastics Studies section.
The rhino’s creation was a labour of love. Bonnard had a long history with the animal. He’d made a smaller lead rhino for a jazz festival in 1992. Then in 2002 he crafted twenty concrete rhinos for a design Biennale. Le Rhino de l’INSA was his most ambitious project to date. Forged at the Fonderie Vincent in Brignais it reflects Bonnard’s considerable skill.
Le Rhino de l’INSA quickly became a campus fixture. Students used it as a meeting place a backdrop for photos. It even suffered some damage in 2011 losing its horn. This mirrored the plight of real rhinos poached for their horns. The INSA community rallied. In 2017 for the INSA’s 60th anniversary the horn was restored. This was a symbolic act of preservation and resilience.
The rhino’s presence extended beyond the campus. It embodies the INSA’s values stability strength and protection. It became a symbol of the INSA community itself. The INSA community even added a companion rhino in recent years. This smaller metal rhino stands on another campus lawn. It represents the ever-evolving spirit of the school. Le Rhino de l’INSA thus stands not just as a sculpture but as a living emblem of a vibrant community.