Support for Giant Tortoise Parade at National Show |27 June 2016

A ‘Giant Tortoise Parade’ project will be launched during this year National Show which was officially opened yesterday.

Hunt Deltel is collaborating with Arterial Network to support The Giant Tortoise Parade as part of their CSR programme for the year. They are running an art competition in celebration of the launch, open to 6 – 11 year olds at the Hunt Deltel stall which will be situated just outside the NSC hall. They will be there until Wednesday from 10am until 4pm. They are also in the process of setting up a photo booth so the kids can go away with a photo of themselves with one of the giant tortoise statues as a souvenir.

More information about the project:

Arterial Network Seychelles is initiating a street art project using the iconic image of our giant tortoise.
Using the giant Aldabra tortoise as the subject for the sculptures reinforces the fragility of the Seychelles eco system in the face of global warming and raising sea levels and also reinforces Seychelles’ reputation as a champion of the natural environment.  Just as the iconic bear was chosen to be the ideal sculpture for the German capital, the giant tortoise of Aldabra -- Seychelles' largest endemic reptile with a high level of public appeal – is envisaged to capture the hearts of Seychellois as well as the thousands of visitors who flock to our shores each year.

The aim of this project is not just to put art onto the streets but also to help make it a more pleasant environment and to raise people's spirits, to put colour and laughter into the townscape.

The initial tortoise models will be made by members of Arterial Network, involving the community with an emphasis on inclusion of groups who might not usually have access to such an endeavour (the disabled, the elderly etc.) and then approved by the committee.

The project will facilitate research as much as practical creativity and will be promoted through a range of supplementary material which will present important educational/environmental information opportunities.

The project will impact upon the environments of the three principal islands. Life-sized giant tortoises, each one unique in appearance and message, will be installed in public spaces. Each will be 'tagged', with information about the specific sculpture and the project in general displayed in the immediate proximity of the sculpture. These site-specific installations will inform, entertain and sensitise with a light touch, promoting further consideration of key environmental issues through the complimentary schools project.

The Seychelles Chapter of Arterial Network intends to implement its objectives using innovative projects in which all sectors of the art community will have an opportunity to input their ideas and creativity. Delivering these projects through various partnerships will ensure the needs of the entire community are represented.   

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