Latest news with #RealElephantCollective
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Herd Of 100 Elephants Migrate To Beverly Hills In Cross-Country Journey
Herd Of 100 Elephants Migrate To Beverly Hills In Cross-Country Journey originally appeared on L.A. Mag. The Great Elephant Migration is an international art and fundraising exhibit, shedding light on Indigenous knowledge and highlighting the coexistence of people and elephants living in the densest populations of the world, as well as the importance of environmental conservation. With 100 handmade and lifesize elephant sculptures sustainably crafted from the invasive Lantana camara plant, these pieces were designed by The Real Elephant Collective, an organization consisting of over 200 Indigenous artists from the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Each elephant sculpture is modeled after a living wild elephant coexisting alongside the artisans. Behind each life-sized figure, a real elephant's name and personality are by indigenous artists, cultural institutions, and wildlife conservationists, this mobile exhibit journeyed across the country, touring spots in Newport, Rhode Island, The Meatpacking District of New York City, Miami Beach, Florida, Houston, Texas, Blackfeet Nation, Montana, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and the deserts of Utah, Nevada, and California—these handcrafted sculptures are currently settled in Beverly Hills Garden Park along Santa Monica Boulevard, spanning four blocks from Rodeo Drive to Rexford Drive, and will be available for public view through August 1st of this year. From June 17th to the 26th, these elephants have stayed busy throughout the last leg of their long journey. From Blackfeet Nation, Jackson Hole, to West Yellowstone, these sculptures made their way to Salt Lake City, Zion National Park, Las Vegas, and Joshua Tree before arriving in Los Angeles. The elephants and their trucks were decked out in style; Indian lorry art, streamers, garlands, and textiles—among other embellishments—added vibrant color and a celebratory atmosphere to the ending of this country-wide trek. Along the way, notable appearances included remarks from Democratic Minority Leader Angela Romero, as well as drumming performances from the Ute Tribe, a presentation of the Key to the Las Vegas Strip by Clark County Commission Chair Tick Segerblom, and a motorized escort from The Litas, a global women's riding collective. The elephant convoy also stopped by the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Agoura Hills, which is undergoing its final stages of construction and will be the largest wildlife bridge in the a celebration was held on June 27th to mark the finish line of these elephants' journey. At the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, ceremonial blankets were draped on these figures, displaying a global textile collection—fittingly named "Wrapped In History"—carefully put together by Vikram Goyal, a New Delhi-based designer. From South Asian to Indigenous North American designs, this exhibit features 70 custom blankets from artisans preserving the craft of diasporic textile tradition worldwide. Ultimately, the profits from the auctioned blankets as well as the elephants themselves will fuel the goal of The Great Elephant Migration: to foster a connection between humans and the natural world. August 1st will mark the end of this elephant installation and the "Wrapped In History" textile exhibit, with an event called "Kiss Them Goodbye." This final farewell and last appeal for endangered wildlife conservation will conclude the country-wide expedition, but not without leaving a lasting impact on each area this unforgettable elephant convoy visited. As Beverly Hills Mayor Sharona Nazarian stated, 'The Great Elephant Migration is more than an art installation, it's a powerful sign of unity, connecting us to the stories of wildlife and reminding us of our joint responsibility to protect our planet and wildlife. We're proud to host this meaningful exhibition that illuminates our city's values of environmental stewardship, cultural appreciation, and community connection. It will bring wonder, awareness, and a sense of meaning to our city."No doubt this sentiment resounds throughout all areas this Great Elephant Migration toured, leaving behind an excitement and enthusiasm for the ways in which wildlife and humanity can peacefully coincide. This story was originally reported by L.A. Mag on Jul 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Vogue
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Blanketed in Meaning: The Great Elephant Migration Reaches a Ceremonial Finale in Beverly Hills
On Friday evening, in the heart of Beverly Hills, a convoy of brightly decorated trucks—festooned in traditional Indian lorry art—pulled into the Eva and Marc Stern Arrival Court at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. Inside them: 100 life-sized elephant sculptures, made not of stone or bronze but of a humble invasive plant. This was the final stop of The Great Elephant Migration—a 5,000-mile public art journey that has moved through cities, tribal lands, and national parks across the United States—and the elephants arrived swathed in something new: more than 70 bespoke blankets, created by designers and Indigenous communities around the world in a ceremonial offering called 'Wrapped in History.' Photo: Victor Arriola/ Photo: Victor Arriola/ The sculptures themselves are the work of the Real Elephant Collective, a sustainable, community-owned enterprise of 200 Indigenous artisans from India's Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Using Lantana camara—an aggressive weed that chokes native forests—the artisans spent years handcrafting each elephant based on a real-life counterpart. Bulls, cows, calves, and tuskers were shaped with anatomical precision, their forms bent and woven from dried reeds in a process as environmentally conscious as it was emotionally resonant. The stop in Los Angeles marked the first time the Real Elephant Collective had joined the US tour in person—representing a powerful reunion between creator and creation. Ruth Ganesh, Kristin Davis Photo: Victor Arriola/ Photo: Victor Arriola/ Since debuting during the pandemic in London's Hyde Park, the herd has trotted through Newport, Manhattan, Miami Beach, Jackson Hole, and more. But Los Angeles was something different: a ceremonial close, a new artistic layer, and a powerful gesture of reverence. 'Blankets are wrapped around members of the community as a sign of respect,' said Ruth Ganesh, the UK-born conservationist and co-creator of the project. 'This echoes traditions across many Indigenous cultures, where blankets symbolize protection, honor, and belonging. In the context of the Migration, each draped elephant becomes a living monument—wrapped in collective memory and care.' Photo: Victor Arriola/ Photo: Victor Arriola/ The idea for the blanketing was born last fall, during an All Night Smoke hosted by the Blackfeet Nation, where Ganesh saw elders and guests alike arrive wrapped in traditional blankets. What followed was a new curatorial initiative led by Indian designer Vikram Goyal, who invited collaborators from the worlds of fashion, Indigenous craft, and textile heritage to create ceremonial pieces—each infused with ancestral motifs and messages of coexistence. Kristin Davis Photo: Victor Arriola/ Olubi Mairumbi, Karin Betts, Luke Maamai Photo: Victor Arriola/ 'In Indigenous cultures around the world, blankets hold profound significance,' said Goyal, who contributed his own design. 'They are often intricately woven with traditional patterns and colors, representing a tribe's history, identity, and spiritual beliefs.' Goyal's blanket took inspiration from his repoussé metalwork, translating a gilded wall sculpture—based on a 17th-century Rajput manuscript called The Book of Dreams—into an embroidered textile layered with symbols of good fortune: the Gajaraja (Elephant King), Gajasimha (Elephant-Lion), blackbuck antelope, and parrots in a flowering tree. Other contributors to 'Wrapped in History' included Ralph Lauren, Tarun Tahiliani, Sabyasachi, Diane von Furstenberg, Johanna Ortiz, Ozwald Boateng, and the Navajo Nation, alongside India's craft communities and schools like Chanakya, whose women artisans stitched together a textile map of India using techniques drawn from the Deccan plateau to Assam. 'Craft has always evolved within contemporary frameworks,' Goyal noted. 'Textile has long led by this example.'
Axios
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Life-size elephant herd exhibit coming to Hermann Park
One hundred and one life-size elephant sculptures will be showcased in Houston's Hermann Park in April. Why it matters: The herd of Indian elephant sculptures has been migrating across the country to raise money for Indigenous and community-led conservation efforts. "The Great Elephant Migration" will be on view through April, after stops in New York City, Miami and Newport, Rhode Island. How they're made: Indigenous Indian artisans from the Real Elephant Collective craft the sculptures from an invasive weed called Lantana camara. They range in weight from about 176 pounds for a calf to about 880 pounds for a tusker, which also measures 15 feet long. The intrigue: For the first time, the original herd of 100 elephant sculptures will be joined by the biggest elephant yet in Houston. The massive tusker was modeled after a real Kenyan elephant who was a true giant of the African savanna, towering at 10 feet tall and weighing over 6 tons. Stunning stat: The invasive Lantana camara has entangled 300,000 square kilometers of India's forests, diminishing food sources for herbivores. It is also invasive in Texas, where it disrupts native ecosystems. "The Great Elephant Migration is more than an art installation — it is a call to action and a place to experience joy," said Cara Lambright, president and CEO of Hermann Park Conservancy. "By bringing this breathtaking global effort to Hermann Park, we are inviting our community to be part of a worldwide movement to protect ecosystems, eradicate invasive species, and inspire change," Lambright said. "These are shared values that span continents."
