Orang-Hutan, man of the forest

Orang-Hutan, man of the forest

Orang-Hutan, literally “man of the forest” in Malay, evokes both the origin of the species’ name and the disquiet we feel at its striking resemblance to ourselves, like another version of us.

At the heart of the Carré Art et Sciences, the Bordeaux Museum invites visitors of all ages to meet Besar, a Bornean orangutan preserved through taxidermy at the age of 17. A silent witness to a vanishing world, Besar lies at the centre of a visual installation designed to raise awareness.

The acquisition of such a remarkably preserved specimen is rare. It gives the Museum a powerful means to highlight the threats facing the entire Pongo genus, including deforestation, urban expansion and logging.

The minimalist exhibition design, with no texts, invites personal reflection. Besar’s gaze challenges visitors, confronting them with the looming extinction of his species. Surrounding him, eight large photographs bear witness to the devastation of their habitat caused by human activity.

With Orang-Hutan, the man of the forest, the Museum of Bordeaux continues its mission to engage the public with the urgent challenges of biodiversity preservation. It prompts us to question our responsibility for the disappearance of species — and the true place we give to all forms of life.