On September 7, 2022, dozens of jaguar sculptures painted by well-known artists will be exhibited in iconic locations throughout New York City such as United Nations Headquarters, World Trade Center, 9/11 Memorial, Central Park Zoo, The High Line, JFK Airport, La Guardia Airport, and others.
An open-air art exhibition of forty jaguar sculptures designed by global artists, will take over the streets of New York City on September 7 through October 5 to convene stakeholders and advance an urgent message; it’s time to act.
Art can have a profound effect on the way we look at the world around us, and this intersection of art and conservation will help jaguars roar their message of hope and wildlife conservation, underscoring their vital role as keystone species. New York City may not be the natural habitat of the jaguar, but the Americas’ largest cat is an iconic symbol of the same attributes New York stands for: strength, beauty, freedom, and resilience. Everyone is welcome to join. Every Jaguar Parade sculpture will include both braille and printed sign descriptions, enabling rich sensory experiences and meaningful connections. The jaguar sculptures will be exhibited at Central Park Zoo, Tavern on the Green, UN Plaza, Times Square, and other iconic places in New York City.
Jaguar Parade is an open-air art exhibition of decorated jaguar statues. It is an art installation with a purpose: to raise funds and awareness about the urgent need to conserve jaguars and their habitats.
Placing the jaguar statues in key public places brings the environmental cause to the forefront of the public’s attention, reaching millions of people in a very unique way.
“We must transform our relationship with nature to reverse the decline of jaguars and other species that we are losing rapidly. There has never been a more urgent time to invest in biocultural approaches and also restore our ecosystems to conserve jaguars than now” said Ligia Noronha, UN assistant Secretary- General and Head of UNEP New York Office.
Jaguar Parade’s first edition took place in São Paulo from October to November 2019. With 87 statues, it was the biggest open-air art exhibition in the history of São Paulo.
“Across 15 landscapes from Mexico to Argentina, World Wildlife Fund brings together local communities, partners, and decision makers to promote the preservation of the jaguar’s habitat,” said María José Villanueva, leader of WWF´s Jaguar Initiative. “By restoring the jaguars’ habitat, we are also helping to address the climate crisis, prevent future pandemics and promoting green recovery efforts for the benefit of millions of people.”
“In the city that never sleeps, we can create the biggest roar for nature and reach millions of people who live in New York and millions more from all over the globe to inspire a purposeful collective movement”, said Giovane Pasa and Carol Barreto founders of Artery.global.
Jaguars currently inhabit 18 Latin American countries, from Mexico to Argentina. Though their present range is broad, jaguars have been eradicated from nearly half of their historic lands. The Jaguar is listed as “Near Threatened” on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
Conserving the jaguars means conserving tropical forests, wetlands, and other environments that are crucial to the wellbeing of humans and countless other species. The actions we take now will benefit generations to come.
The Jaguar Parade in NYC will be on display in the streets of New York from September 7 to October 5, 2022.
The calendar of events include:
Aug 22nd to Sept 3rd: Paintings – New York City
The selected artists will paint at Jaguar Parade’s studio or their studios.
Sept 6, 2022: Opening Party and Launch of the Online Auction – NYC
The opening party at the iconic Tavern On The Green restaurant brings together sponsors, artists, celebrities, and partners to admire the jaguar sculptures exclusively before the public exhibition begins in New York City.
Sept 7th to Oct 5th, 2022: Exhibition in New York
The sculptures will be displayed in public and private places in New York, in areas of high traffic and social, cultural or historical importance. Simultaneously, some sculptures will be part of the 77th General Assembly of the United Nations (UNGA 77).
Sept 23rd to Oct 7th, 2022: Online Auction
The sculptures will be open to receive bids during this period. 100% of the amount raised will be allocated to jaguar conservation projects.
Oct 15th, 2022: Auction Results
Release of the auction’s results and the recap video.
The Jaguar Parade NYC 2022 is supported by global conservation organizations, including the United Nations Environment (UNEP), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Panthera, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Lion’s Share, in a coordinated effort to raise funds and awareness about the urgent need to conserve jaguars and their habitats.
During the exhibition in New York, the sculptures will be available for sale from September 23 through October 7 via online auction, 100% of net proceeds will be donated to saving jaguars.
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