The Great Elephant Migration: Sculptural Elephants Parade Through New York City
A stunning outdoor art installation, The Great Elephant Migration, has taken over New York City's Meatpacking District. Consisting of 100 life-sized elephant sculptures, this public art project is the largest to hit the city since 2005's The Gates. Each sculpture was meticulously crafted by 200 Indigenous artists over five years, using an invasive weed called lantana camara, which has been threatening ecosystems across India.
The project, co-founded by British animal rights activist Ruth Ganesh and Indian elephant researcher Tarsh Thekaekara, aims to raise funds for wildlife conservation. With over $1 million USD raised so far, the proceeds benefit organizations like the WWF and New York’s Wild Bird Fund. Each sculpture, based on a real elephant, is available for purchase at prices ranging from $8,000 to $22,000 USD.
The traveling exhibition will remain in New York until October 20, 2024, before moving to Miami for Art Basel and continuing its journey across the U.S. with stops in Montana, Wyoming, Los Angeles, and its final destination in Houston.
