Visit the Dino Experience at Randfontein Show

Local artist, David Huni, a student of Stan Winston School of Character Arts (USA) and University of Alberta (Canada), Director of Gallery Naomi and Producer of The Dino Expo will be exhibiting never before seen skillfully detailed handcrafted, 13 lifelike robotic dinosaur specimens at The Randfontein Show.

The exhibition will be hosted on the B Field open arena for the duration of the show which kicked off today until 8 March.

The creator of these very realistic masterpieces, David, was adopted as an infant and grew up with his foster parents in Holland, before moving to South Africa in his later years.

When asked how long it took for one of these creations to make, he answered, “A very long time. One gets tired and needs rest. This one took me about a year, and it’s possibly the biggest of its kind”. (Referring to a creation of a juvenile T-Rex named ‘Hunter’ which will be sharing the stage with a Triceratops- both lifelike large scale puppets).

All the replica dinosaur specimens are made up of primarily metal frames inside and covered with form silicone, and weigh up to 500kg a piece, with features like movement and performing certain life like actions like blinking their eyes, breathing, mouth movements, tail swinging, and roaring sounds.

Upon asking him about his reasons and motivation on doing this showcase he mentioned that both dinosaurs and sculpturing has always fascinated him.

Wits University has partnered up with David, and they, plus other sponsors involved, mainly contribute by making the resources available that’s needed to create these figurines, making them as realistic and accurate as possible according to scientific research.

Wits University will also be exhibiting original dinosaur fossils.

The Dino Expo is the pioneer in Dinosaur Paleontology exhibitions and currently has the largest footprint in the African market. In the last years The Dino Expo has recreated Dinosaurs that are accurate to science in collaboration with the University of The Witswatersrand and exhibited successfully at The Origins Centre, Wits University, Life Science Building, Ditsong National Museum of Natural Science in Pretoria, Johannesburg Zoo and the Johannesburg Botanical Garden.

The event is structured for the whole family- more specifically children- and is also disabled friendly with facilities including parking, toilets and ramp entrances.

The aim is to educate spectators in a fun manner with performances based educational programs and lots of other activities- fitted to suit everyone’s pocket. Dinosaur toys, T shirts, bags, shoes and many more will be available for sale at The Dino Expo Kiosk.

The set program mainly concentrates on the subject of matter relating to the mystery of prehistoric times focusing on the life and existence of the warm blooded reptiles that inhabited Earth since almost the beginning of time, existing during the Triassic and Jurassic periods, only becoming extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period, commonly known as the Mesozoic era- Age of the Reptiles(252-66million years ago, BC).

Tickets can be bought at Computicket and pricing are as follow:

General Tickets:

• Children 2 years and older: R30

• School groups attending: R30 per child

• Adults: R50

(Children under 2 enter for free)

Visitors are reminded that The Dino Expo is an independent exhibition which is being hosted during and within the Randfontein Show. The Dino Expo ticket holder must have additionally purchased an entry ticket to the Randfontein Show in order to first get access through the main gate.

Visit the official site at www.thedinoexpo.com, follow them on twitter @TheDinoExpo and remember to go like their facebook fan page on facebook.com/TheDinoExpo

For more info contact Khomotso on info@thedinoexpo.com.