Extinction Brooch Series
Known as the “person of the forest,” the orangutan faces accelerating habitat loss and fragmentation. This hand-woven brooch interprets its wise, expressive face through warm amber, honeyed golds, rust, and charcoal beads. The softly modelled features and long, flowing forms evoke the orangutan’s distinctive arms and contemplative presence, while subtle tonal shifts suggest fur, shadow, and depth.
As of 2024–25, orangutan populations remain critically endangered: approximately 104,000 Bornean, 14,000 Sumatran, and fewer than 800 Tapanuli orangutans survive in the wild. Threatened primarily by deforestation for palm oil, logging, and ongoing poaching, their numbers continue to decline despite dedicated conservation efforts. This brooch stands as both a portrait and a plea, a reminder that forests are disappearing canopy by canopy, and with them, lives shaped by deep intelligence, kinship, and care.