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200 model elephants to cover capital for charity
Ruth Bloomfield21.04.09
A HERD of 200 fibreglass elephants is to invade London in a show billed as the capital's biggest public art exhibition.
The model Asian elephants — each decorated by a different artist or celebrity — will be set up in streets, parks and squares next summer.
They will then be auctioned off by Sotheby's in aid of a wildlife conservation project, and it is hoped the event will raise more than £1 million to help save the endangered creatures.
The elephants will be sited from Buckingham Palace to the South Bank, beside Tate Modern and in Parliament Square in May, June and July next year. Each model, which is standing or sitting, is 1.5 metres high and 1.8 metres in length. They are the size of an adolescent elephant and weigh 65 kilos after organisers feared full-sized versions would make streets too crowded. Designer Diane von Furstenberg and up and coming artists Sacha Jafri and Sam Hacking have already agreed to design models.
The men behind the Elephant Parade are father and son team Marc and Mike Spitz. The entrepreneurs — responsible for marketing both the Smurfs and Hello Kitty — decided they wanted to launch a creative international project to aid elephants across the world.
They are working in partnership with elephant family, a charity which was set up by Mark Shand, the brother of Camilla Parker-Bowles.
Mr Shand visited India almost 20 years ago and was horrified by the plight of the Indian elephant.
The charity works with the World Land Trust and Wildlife Trust of India, to buy and manage land to give the creatures a permanent home. A spokeswoman for the charity said: “To put the cause into perspective, it has been estimated that it will take £10 million to safeguard the future of India's elephants.
“That works out at roughly £500 per elephant and Elephant Parade London plans to raise at least £1 million to work towards the £10 million goal.”
The scheme is backed by Mayor Boris Johnson, as well as celebrities including Joanna Lumley, Stephen Fry and Michael Palin.
Former Monty Python star Palin said: “Elephant Parade is ambitious, good fun and exactly the right message.”
Mr Johnson said: “Bring on the elephants. Elephant Parade is a brilliantly innovative way of using public art to benefit conservation. Not only would the parade brighten London's streets and enhance our public spaces, it would play a vital role in building a new generation of conservationists.”
Elephant parades have already been held in Antwerp — which raised more than €500,000 — and Rotterdam. The parade will be in Amsterdam this summer. After London it will move to New York and Milan. The event mirrors the popular Cow Parade event in London in 2002, which saw brightly coloured cows stationed around the capital before being auctioned for children's charities.
Artists and businesses who would like to support Elephant Parade by painting or sponsoring an elephant, should call elephant family on 020 7580 3184 or email carly@elephantfamily.org
Reader views (10)
Quote: Ca Metcalfe, Essex.
I'm looking forward to something similar in London.
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Last year there were lots of Green Elephants in Regents Park Ca.
I have pictures of them; but I don’t think this board allows printing etc; but they were there in Regents Park last year.
Regents Park is by far the best London Park of all; the Gardeners are first class; and the management of Regents Park is vey imaginative indeed.
- Mickyinlondon, london
My family and I made two trips to Norwich last year during our fortnight in cromer just to see how many of the Go Elephants we could find.
It was a smashing event but many of them were decorated by schools and community organisations as well as by professional artists. That meant that the people of Norwich had a stake in the art and while there was some vandalism local involvment may have been a factor why most of the elephants were treated with respect.
I'm looking forward to something similar in London.
- Ca Metcalfe, Essex
Londoners needs cheering up! Great that it's a green project...
- Sarah, London, UK
This is the greatest news I have heard in a long time and it sure beats constant talk about the recession…. it is wonderful that something positive will be coming to London and it looks incredible!!!! It’s just a shame we have to wait till 2010, but I guess it makes it all the more exciting – finally, something to look forward to!
Sadly public exhibitions are always venerable, but why let the prospect of vandalism spoil this for everyone else. Bob I understand your reaction – but if everyone responded in this negative way then every public space, public monument and public art piece would be put under lock and key – I can’t imagine living in London with no access to The Royal Parks and no lions in Trafalgar Square!
Vandalism exists, it’s a sad fact of life but we shouldn’t let this stop us making this amazing exhibition public… I echo Boris’s sentiment – bring on the elephants!!!! I seriously can’t wait and I feel it is just what London needs.
- Elephant Lover, London
I think this is a really great campaign - and just what London and the Asian elephants need. This type of activity can only bring a positive light to the cause and the city that hosts it. Well done to Elephant Parade and elephant family, I applaud you!
- Alistair, London
THIS WAS DONE IN NOWICH LAST YEAR IT WAS A GREAT SUCCESS AND RAISED MONEY FOR ELEPHANT CHARITY.BRING BACK THE GIANT ELEPHANT YOU HAD IN LONDON THAT WAS AMAZING.
- Barabara Talbot, NORWICH
Ahhh just like all the European Cities do. Can we have a vote on the EU please
- Grim Reaper, Hell
save your money on the models there are hundreds of real white elephants in white hall you could start with Boris the buffoon
- Warichunt, teesside uk
Oh dear, presumably no one remembers what happened with the cows last time, namely drunken yobs trashing them. I seem to remember being in Prague whilst the cows were there and the same thing was happening but again with drunken British stag do's rather than the natives, the local authority put up posters in English to try to stop the morons but to no avail.
- Bob, Cheam
I recommend painting them all white and parking them from the Houses of Parliament down to Downing Street ....
- Marianne, SW France
