Here rests a rhinoceros, but not just any rhino. The Rinoceronte Statue before you tells a story of art, awareness, and the planet’s pain.
This sculpture is more than metal and wood. It’s a statement. The artist uses the Rinoceronte Statue to highlight how important it is to protect our planet.
The Rinoceronte Statue features a stainless steel rhinoceros. It appears to be bleeding as it rests upon a hill. The animal’s form was created by shaping and inflating a stainless steel plate. It was then carefully polished.
Look closely. The red color isn’t the rhino’s blood. It is red paint flowing like rain or tears. These tears symbolize the suffering of our planet. The hill beneath the rhino is an ancient larch wood table.
The artist presents a powerful image. The Rinoceronte Statue makes a statement about environmental issues. The blood-like paint is a provocation. It forces us to confront the harm we inflict on the Earth.
Now, let’s turn to another rhinoceros story from Brazil. This one involves a real rhino named Cacareco. Cacareco lived from 1954 to 1962. She resided in Brazilian zoos.
Cacareco gained fame in an unusual way. She received many votes in the 1958 S\u00e3o Paulo city council elections. People cast votes for Cacareco as a protest. They were unhappy with the human candidates.
Electoral officials didn’t accept Cacareco’s candidacy. Still, she won about 100000 votes. This was more than any other party received in that election.
Cacareco’s story even inspired the Rhinoceros Party of Canada. This party was nominally led by a rhinoceros named Cornelius the First.
Cacareco was born in the Rio de Janeiro Zoo. In 1958, she was loaned to the S\u00e3o Paulo Zoo. This loan happened during the city council elections. Journalist Itaboraí Martins proposed Cacareco as a write-in candidate. He was displeased with the other candidates.
Before the election, Cacareco returned to Rio de Janeiro. Yet she still received 100000 votes. Cacareco also spent time in Porto Alegre in 1962. Sadly she died that same year. Her skeleton is now displayed at the University of S\u00e3o Paulo’s Museum of Anatomy.
The Rinoceronte Statue and Cacareco the rhino both leave us with something to think about. One is a call to protect our planet. The other shows the power of protest. Both stories are unique to S\u00e3o Paulo and Brazil. Take a moment to reflect on these stories. Consider the messages they carry.