Rhinoceros Last Safari 1970

Editor: So, this is "Rhinoceros Last Safari," an oil painting by Mort Künstler from 1970. The scene is just packed with action and tension – the rhino is so imposing and the figures seem desperate. What stands out to you when you look at this painting? Curator: The immediacy of the narrative is compelling. The rhinoceros becomes an almost mythological figure here, doesn't it? Representing the raw power of nature, but also, perhaps, nature's revenge? Editor: Revenge? Interesting. Curator: Look at how the hunter is positioned, fallen and vulnerable. The red on both figures – a striking correspondence of injuries, a symbol of a disruption. This single incident captures a wider historical trauma—the clash between humanity's desire for conquest and the natural world’s resistance. Don't you think that comes across strongly? Editor: Yes, the mirrored "red" does add another layer. It does make me think about who the real intruder is here. It almost flips the traditional heroic hunting narrative on its head. Is that what the artist was trying to convey, do you think? Curator: Künstler presents a contemporary Western vision that uses visual cues recognizable at that time: think films or magazines centered around hunting expeditions. But there is definitely a subtle critique woven in here; is the rhino simply a trophy? Or is it something more? This clash asks, and even demands that the viewer consider an imbalance that goes beyond sport. Editor: I didn't pick up on that at first, but seeing it as this bigger clash… It definitely gives the image a lot more weight. Thanks for sharing that! Curator: It has been a revelation to unpack it together. There's always more than what meets the eye.