A Rhinoceros Named Genda
From Dürer to Dali and beyond
In 1515, a rhinoceros arrived in Lisbon - a gift from the Sultan of Gujarat to King Manuel I of Portugal. The animal, named Genda, became a sensation across Europe and was immortalised by Albrecht Dürer in his renowned woodcut, despite the artist never having seen the creature himself.
Dürer’s image went on to shape artistic and scientific imagination for over five centuries, inspiring generations of artists - from his contemporaries through to Salvador Dalí and today's contemporary creators. Its most recent interpretation is a sculpture composed of 90 pieces of silver, crafted by Asprey Studio in collaboration with the British Museum.
OCTARR continues and expands this five-century legacy, through the creation of exciting new works of art.
Genda's Journey
Genda’s story is one of exploration, empire, and ambition - entwined with the age of geographic discovery led by Vasco da Gama, the forces of colonisation, and the geopolitical Iberian rivalries mediated by Pope Leo X, himself a Medici.
OCTARR plans to complete Genda’s unfinished journey. The rhinoceros tragically perished in a shipwreck en route to Rome, never reaching the Vatican - a symbolic destination we now wish to honour through art.
Together with the Asprey sculpture and accompanying academic research, our collective of artists, under the artistic direction of Harto, will create a new body of work that brings Genda’s extraordinary story full circle.
The Collection
The sculpture will be tokenised and the 90 tokens will be made available for purchase at $3,000 each.
Genda Guardians will benefit from priority access and revenue share from all downstream artworks created as part of the Genda Project.
Rewards of Patience
True impact is rarely instantaneous. This project represents OCTARR’s commitment to "slow-growth" value—the belief that by holding and nurturing world-class instruments like the cello over time, we unlock deeper social and financial dividends. It is a transition from the volatility of speculation to the stability of stewardship.
By participating in this fractional model, stakeholders are not just waiting for market appreciation; they are investing in the "performance life" of the asset. As the instrument matures through use by world-class artists, its cultural and historical significance compounds. This is the essence of patient capital: a strategic delay in gratification that allows for cultural preservation, artistic mastery, and shared economic resilience to flourish in unison.
Genda’s Passport
Become a Patron
Join our club = Become an Octarrian. Acquire a token = Become a Patron.