As far as outdoor art exhibits are concerned, this one is sure to be a memorable one: The Great Elephant Migration, an installation made up of a herd of 100 life-size elephants that’s currently on display in New York, will end its national tour in Los Angeles following stops in Miami and Montana.
The striking project is the brainchild of UK-born animal rights activist and arts advocate Ruth Ganesh, who collaborated with animal researcher and elephant expert Tarsh Thekaekara to bring the roving exhibit to life. Ganesh is also the cofounder of the Coexistence Collective, a group of 200 artisans based in India that created the pieces.
The goal? To uplift indigenous voices and shed light on the perils that elephants are facing around the world. Perhaps, humans interacting with the visually striking creations will start thinking more about their real-life counterparts.
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The elephants are made from lantana camara, a flowering plant and one of the world’s most invasive weeds. When lantana grows in India’s protected areas, animals are forced out of their homes and into urban areas, which only exacerbates human-wildlife conflict. By constructing these elephants out of lantana, the weed’s presence in protected areas decreases, and animals are able to roam freely in their own homes.
Previously on display in London, India and Rhode Island, the pieces are actually up for sale. The Coexistence Collective has been donating the profits to 22 different conservation organizations around the country.
According to NPR, as of July, 30 sculptures had already been sold for $8,000 to $22,000 each, depending on the intricate artistic details featured on each piece. The herd includes male and female elephants, some bigger and others smaller featuring differently sized tusks.
Although no specific Los Angeles dates have yet been announced, we suspect the life-like animals to land here in the next couple of months. Stay tuned for updates.