In the heart of Elephant and Castle shopping centre, in a well lit empty shop, five fiberglass elephants smile as they are lovingly adorned in a multitude of designs.
Passers by stop and watch as the elephants decorations near completion, the artists working late into the evening. The five that are on display today are merely the tip of the iceberg as over the past months the shop has seen dozens more come and go, arriving completely white and leaving painted with endless patterns and pictures, photo montages and jewels. One marched out in the guise of a peacock another held the startling image of a great white shark.
All 250 elephants will be on display around London from the 3rd of May until the 3rd of June. You may see one sat beside a famous landmark or a herd of them in one of the capitals many beautiful parks. This is the biggest outdoor art exhibition London has ever seen and its all to raise awareness of the crisis faced by the endangered Asian Elephant. Many famous artists and fashion designers have contributed creations and at the end of the parade all the elephants will go on sale at Sutherbys to raise funds for the Asian elephant and UK conservation charities.
http://www.elephantparadelondon.org/index.html
I talked to professional costume designer Sheara Abrahams about her elephant Mr. William. Inspired by the British Arts and Crafts Movement textile artist William Morris, her design is of an Oak tree adding an English touch to the Asian elephant. Using acrylic paint and the paint supplied by sponsor Farrow and Bull her design is meant to be seen from a far, she says it was a happy mistake that the stripes accentuate Mr. Williams cheeky smile.
Sheara tells me sweetly that Elephant parade “Is going to be great over the summer, with the herds of elephants making London an even more fabulous place to visit”
Fashion designer Rachel Powys is facilitating the production of Goldie for Tarun Tahilliani. http://www.taruntahiliani.com/ Adhering to Tahillianis Indian inspired design (following his creation of Baby Goldie) Rachel has painstakingly stuck on the gems and jewels giving this particular elephant a very royal appearance.
The Elephant Parade should be an event that you will never forget and another reason to stay at a http://www.visitjourneys.com/ London Hostel.
