African Lion
African Lion is comprised of steel and sculpted, pigmented concrete. It is 100” long, and 83” tall and weighs 1076 pounds! Like all Faducci’s sculptures, notice how the artist captures real personality in this animal. Lions have a strong tradition in western art as heraldic symbols of power, strength and royalty. Why do you think humans see these qualities in a lion? What characteristics do you see in this particular lion? What animal would you choose to represent your personality?
By Solomon Bassoff and Domenica Mottarella
Artists Solomon Bassoff and Domenica Mottarella work together in sculpted, pigmented concrete which they sculpt by hand like clay. They then add steel, tile mosaic, glass and other materials to create unique and whimsical animal characters that are designed to invite exploration and curiosity. They like to convey animals’ emotional characteristics to create a connection between the human and animal world with their unique blend of naturalism and realism.
Together, Bassoff and Mottarella run Faducci Studio, located in the foothills of the California Sierra Nevada. They have created much-loved public artworks In California, Washington, Oklahoma, and Texas. Keep a look out for them, as they are very recognizable. These artworks always look like they are about to tell you a story.
View all sculptures by this artist.Did You Know?
- Lions are the second largest big cat species in the world (behind tigers). On average, males weigh around 400 pounds.
- Most lions found in the wild live in southern and eastern parts of Africa.
- A lion’s roar can be heard from 5 miles away.
- Lions are the national animal of Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, England, Ethiopia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Singapore.
- Male lions are quite lazy for most of the day. In fact, they rest for 20 hours a day.
At The Zoo
Cameron Park Zoo has an active breeding program for lions, which is part of Worldwide conservation efforts. Look out for the enrichment items in the lion enclosure. The zoo goes to great lengths to make sure that its animals are relaxed, happy and never bored. Content animals are healthy animals.
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