Donald Gialanella - Metal Sculpture
Dodo Bird (Raphus cucullatus)
Private collection
36" tall 2003
Links to other endangered and extinct animal sculptures,
This giant flightless relative of the pigeon was first seen by Portuguese mariners in 1505 on the island of Mauritius off the coast of Madagascar, or perhaps by the great unheralded Chinese sailors as early as 1420.
I tried to bring dignity to the depiction of this much maligned creature in this life size steel sculpture composed of hundreds of individually shaped feathers made of forged steel.