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 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.
What you're acquiring
90 fractions of the Genda sculpture, at €2,600 each - total value €233,000. Acquire all 90 and you take full, sole ownership of the sculpture.
Full, transferable ownership of your fraction (or the whole piece): hold, sell, or gift it at any time.
Your fraction covers all insurance costs - no further upkeep charges on your portion.
What patronage brings
- Complimentary Platinum membership.
- Free access to the sculpture wherever it's exhibited.
- First right to acquire any collectables that emerge from the Genda Project, ahead of public release.
Genda’s Passport
Become a Patron
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