A major new artwork by acclaimed artist Linder honours trailblazing 1920s reptile expert Joan Procter.
A giant marble snake mosaic designed by renowned British artist Linder has been unveiled today (Thursday 2 July) at London Zoo, as part of our 200th anniversary celebrations.
Linder, known for her photography, feminist photomontage and performance art, created the 53ft (16m) mosaic - the first permanent public artwork of her career - to honour ZSL zoologist Joan Beauchamp Procter (1897 – 1931), one of the most pioneering herpetologists of her generation.
Influential women in ZSL's history
Constructed from approximately a million pieces of reclaimed marble off cuts, surrounded by black galaxy granite, the mosaic, titled ‘Sirona’, depicts an Ethiopian mountain adder - an Endangered species cared for at the Zoo’s Secret Life of Reptiles and Amphibians exhibit, where Procter’s legacy can be seen in action today.
Created in partnership with the Contemporary Arts Society *Consultancy (CASC), and generously supported by the Pears Foundation, the piece aims to highlight two centuries of ZSL’s efforts to grow humanity’s understanding of wildlife while bringing renewed attention to Procter’s groundbreaking contributions to reptile care and education.
ZSL's Head of Conservation Education Cat Hickey said: “Joan Procter was a visionary scientist whose work at ZSL not only transformed global understanding of reptiles but also turned the public dial from fear to fascination. She became London Zoo’s first female Curator of Reptiles aged just 26, inspiring a generation with a newfound respect for misunderstood species before dying tragically young and disappearing into relative obscurity.
“As we celebrate our 200th year, it is fitting to honour her legacy of curiosity and care with a major new artwork that reflects our scientific heritage and uncovers a story that has long deserved a bigger spotlight. We hope it will inspire visitors of all ages for years to come.”
The project took artist Linder on a fascinating journey into ZSL history. Born in 1897, Joan Procter became internationally famous by transforming reptile care at London Zoo and beyond. She designed the Zoo’s former Reptile House (1927) with innovative new reptile habitats that recognised their need for UV light, brought Komodo dragons to the UK for the first time for scientific study, devised novel veterinary equipment to treat the reptiles in her care, and helped change public attitudes towards them through education and engagement.
Alongside conducting research in the ZSL Prince Philip Zoological Library & Archives and the Library & Archive at Girton College, Cambridge, Linder hosted zine-making workshop sessions with students, young people, and older participants at ZSL’s two conservation zoos, London and Whipsnade. These sessions explored themes of empathy, perception, and conservation, directly informing the development of the work, which is Linder’s first in mosaic.
Linder said: “This mosaic - my first ever permanent public artwork - offered a rare opportunity to work in a new medium. This commission led me on a fascinating journey of discovery into ZSL's past - uncovering Joan Beauchamp Procter as a true heroine of the natural world. In Joan I found a kindred spirit: a fiercely independent curiosity that resonated with my own practice, and with ZSL's broader spirit of enquiry and determination to build connections between people and wildlife.
“Joan's life was marked by persistent ill health from childhood onwards - which perhaps deepened rather than diminished her extraordinary devotion to reptiles. The mosaic takes its name from Sirona, an ancient goddess shown offering libation to a coiled snake - an image of healing and renewal. Joan Procter too can be understood as offering her own form of libation through unwavering devotion to the species she loved and to the people who came to share that love.”
CASC Senior Art Producer Katharina Worf said: "We are delighted to collaborate with ZSL and artist Linder on this landmark commission. Translating Linder’s distinctive practice into a permanent new medium has been a remarkable process - replacing her scalpel with chopped stone, yet carrying the same precision and intention, the placement of tesserae bearing profound parallels with her photomontage practice.
“It is in Linder's true spirit to uncover an untold story. Sirona gives Joan Procter - a woman of extraordinary achievement long denied her due - an artwork worthy of her legacy. What has been especially meaningful is how deeply the work is rooted in community. Workshop participants, young and old people, ZSL staff and archives all shaped what Sirona became - and a photograph shared by a student at one of Linder’s Whipsnade Zoo workshops became the form of the snake at the heart of the mosaic itself.”
Featuring Joan’s words ‘think of this sometimes’ taken directly from a letter to her sister* and recreated in her distinctive handwriting, the artwork aims to inspire visitors to consider wildlife, conservation and the hidden people who shaped our understanding of the natural world. Sections of the body evoke the display tables of the Victorian era, traditionally used to present marble and geological specimens, subtly referencing the scientific culture of ZSL’s early days while honouring Procter’s contributions.
ZSL’s Cat Hickey added: “Joan’s ‘Think of this sometimes’, resonates deeply with everyone at ZSL and is a message to us all – if we all think of wildlife, of the planet, more often, then together we can achieve great things for all that live on it.”
The mosaic is now on permanent display to visitors of London Zoo, providing a new focal point for visitors during ZSL’s 200th anniversary year and beyond; inviting people to reflect on the organisation’s past while inspiring future generations to care about wildlife and the natural world – just like Joan Procter did.
Founded in 1826, ZSL has spent two centuries working to restore wildlife and support ecosystems around the globe. Today its mission continues through conservation projects in more than 80 countries, alongside its two conservation zoos: London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo.
Founded in 1826, ZSL has spent two centuries working to restore wildlife and support ecosystems around the globe. Today our mission continues through conservation projects in more than 80 countries, alongside our two conservation zoos: London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo.