The artwork, titled “Polar Bears and Toucans [from Amazonas to Svalbard]”, was created by Mark Dion in 1991. This installation piece is associated with the Neo-Dada art movement.
The composition features a lifelike recreation of a polar bear positioned in a metal bucket, suggestively interacting with a payphone. This surreal combination of a wild animal and an anthropogenic object is mounted atop a wooden shipping crate, marked with various logistical labels and a “Fragile” sign, emphasizing the themes of transport and fragility. The juxtaposition of disparate elements within the artwork prompts viewers to contemplate the discord between natural environments and human influence, resonating with Neo-Dada’s tendency to critique societal norms and foster absurdist aesthetics.
