These are my submissions to the Mali in the City art project being organised by the Melbourne Zoo.  50 life-size fibreglass sculptures will be painted by local artists and spread around the city for a 6 week period. Afterwards, the elephants will then be auctioned off with the proceeds going to the zoo and its conservation efforts.

The zoo encouraged people to include themes of conservation in their designs and I found that pretty challenging to do without creating a generic jungle/endangered species theme. I wanted to do something different from what has been seen in all the previous Wild in Art animal sculpture projects and do something that made a single, bold statement and something that was also in line with the subjects I enjoy painting. This is what I came up with…

“HERE TODAY…” …Gone tomorrow. The existence of threatened and endangered species is a fragile thing. Populations are disintegrating as a result of human activities and climate change. We need to take action before it’s too late.

 

“ELEPHANTASY” Animals have been a powerful source of inspiration and symbolism for people since the cave men began making marks on stone. Even the modern day fantasy worlds in popular culture have been heavily influenced by what occurs in nature. Just one of the many reasons animals are an important part of the human experience and should be preserved for future generations to enjoy.