Massive Rhino Sculptures on the Beach

Some people go to the beach to enjoy a beautiful sunset, to search for dolphins, or to watch surfers riding the waves. That's why Montauk, New Yorkers could have never expected to come face-to-face with a 12' long 5' high life-sized rhino, made of mixed media resin, roaming their shores. At least not until today. Davis Murphy, a multidisciplinary artist, sculpted a variety of these powerful creatures as “an extreme example of sculptural form, to express sheer weight and muscularity.” He then collaborated with photographer Dalton Portella to capture the surreal scenes of the displaced rhinos.

When speaking about the project, Murphy said, “I needed to capture the nuances of this huge piece by close contact on film. While researching the mass poaching in Africa, I was floored by the annihilation and finality the images offered. It was hard to look at them. Dalton’s photos express that possible total loss.”