Land Rover’s McGovern Switches From Designing SUVs To Chrome Rhinos

As the chief designer at Land Rover, Gerry McGovern has been responsible for some rather beautiful shapes. But his latest isn’t a luxury off-roader. In fact it’s not a vehicle of any kind. It’s a rhino sculpture.

The 1.2-meter (4-foot) -long installation is one of 21 such sculptures being placed around London as part of the Tusk Rhino Trail. The initiative aims to raise awareness (and eventually money) to help save the endangered African rhinoceros, which Land Rover has supported for the past 15 years.

McGovern’s interpretation, as you can see, is done up in chrome with a red horn – mimicking the red dye that conservationists have been injecting into actual rhinos’ horns to make them less appealing to ivory poachers. It’s being displayed in no less prominent a location than Trafalgar Square, right in the heart of London’s city center, and was towed into place by a Land Rover Discovery. His is the only one of the 21 that’s supported by an automaker or designed (the best we can tell) by an automotive designer.

“I wanted to celebrate the magnificence of this unique creature, so my rhino is covered in a chrome finish,” said McGovern. “The idea being that because of the highly reflective nature of chrome it would be seen from a long distance, consequently creating awareness of the plight of this animal in Africa. The red painted horn signifies the absurdity of this beautiful animal being hunted for such a small part of its overall being.”

Following the celebration of World Rhino Day on September 22, all 21 of the rhino sculptures wil be auctioned off by Christie’s on October 9 to raise funds for Turk projects across Africa.