'Awe' inspiring life-sized elephant sculptures to overtake Manhattan streets

3 months ago 8

MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) – A herd of life-sized elephant sculptures will overtake the Meatpacking District, according to a spokesperson for The Great Elephant Migration.

From September 6 to the end of October, 100 Indian elephant sculptures will be showcased on the New York City streets in partnership with Elephant Family USA to promote coexistence between humans and wildlife.

“As a cultural anchor on the west side of Manhattan, the Meatpacking District is a world-class home for the arts and public programming,” said Jeffrey LeFrancois, Executive Director of the Meatpacking BID. “Bringing the Great Elephant Migration to the cobblestones of Meatpacking combines the two and showcases the significant role art plays in New York City, especially around placemaking, tourism, and economic development.”

The Elephants -

Crafted from dried lantana, an invasive weed in India, the elephants are constructed around a steel rebar frame and coated with oil for protection. The series consists of four different-sized sculptures: a baby, an adolescent, a matriarch, and a tusker.