Oil and 23ct gold leaf on a hand-carved mahogany icon board (40 × 25 × 2 cm)2021, crafted from reclaimed church pews.
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From the Second Coming Collection — a body of work honouring species once believed extinct, now miraculously rediscovered. These rare survivors are presented as sacred icons, elevating them to the status they deserve: revered, precious, and almost mythic.
The Pygmy Tarsier, Indonesia’s smallest primate, vanished from scientific record for decades and was presumed lost to history. Its rediscovery in 2008 was nothing short of extraordinary — a quiet resurrection.
Rendered on a traditional icon board and set against luminous gold leaf, this piece transforms the animal into a divine presence. The gold reflects both its rarity and its fragility — a reminder that what returns from the brink is never guaranteed to remain.