Elephant Sculptures Stampede Onto Miami Beach With A Message

The Great Elephant Migration, a public art installation, arrives in Miami Beach and on display from Sunday, Nov. 24 through Sunday, Dec. 8. Shown is Ruth Ganesh, Principal Trustee of Elephant Family and Co-Founder of The Real Elephant Collective, which spearheaded the installation. (Photo courtesy of Louis A W Sheridan)

One hundred elephants are stampeding onto Miami Beach. But don’t worry, they’re not real pachyderms. These are wooden elephants, part of The Great Elephant Migration, an art installation sharing a message about conservation and human-wildlife coexistence. The large herd will be on display near 36th Street Park on Miami Beach beginning Sunday, Nov. 24 through Sunday, Dec. 8.

An international collaboration between Indigenous artisans, contemporary artists, and cultural institutions, The Great Elephant Migration adventure started in Nilgiri Hills, India, where the idea of the art installation took shape, and the elephants were made. It has been dubbed a “stop-in-your-tracks art installation.”

“This is a massive project that literally stops people in their tracks when they first see it,” says Ruth Ganesh, principal trustee of Elephant Family and co-founder of The Real Elephant Collective, which spearheaded the installation. “It’s free and accessible to the public and viewable by passersby on the beach.”

The concept for The Great Elephant Migration has been in development for over a decade, according to Ganesh. The installation aims to inspire conversations about coexistence, modeled after the way Indigenous communities in India live alongside the world’s largest land mammal.

Before arriving in Miami, The Great Elephant Migration visited Newport, Rhode Island, and New York City as part of its U.S. journey. (Photo by Corey Favino/ courtesy Elephant Family USA and Newport Restoration Foundation)

“I thought it was an incredibly inspirational story for the rest of the world to do the same with the animals in our backyards,” says Ganesh. “What better way to help the world visualize this coexistence story than to bring 100 life-size elephants across America?”

The sculptures are crafted from Lantana, an invasive weed in India’s forests that displaces wildlife. By converting the weed into art, the project not only supports conservation but also provides sustainable employment for local artisans.

Each sculpture is modeled after a real elephant, with artisans capturing their unique personalities and appearances. Ganesh emphasized that this intimate knowledge stems from the artisans’ animist beliefs and their close connection to nature.

“It is their perspective toward nature that allows them to have this remarkable relationship with the elephants,” she explains. “They know them intimately—by name and personality—to enable the creation of such intricately detailed sculptures to share their story with the world.”

Before arriving in Miami, The Great Elephant Migration toured London in 2021, stopped at the Lalbagh Botanical Garden in Bangalore earlier this year, and visited Newport, Rhode Island, and New York City as part of its United States. journey.

“We’ve been blown away by the love and support the elephants have received,” says Ganesh. “Some people are genuinely moved by their presence, which illustrates how beautifully powerful they are.”

The Miami Beach installation aims to inspire visitors to reflect on themes of tolerance, empathy, and coexistence.

“We want people to walk amongst the herd, experience their awesome presence and beauty, and visualize the places in the world where people live alongside these giants,” says Ganesh.

With people streaming into Miami Beach for Art Week, and the elephants’ appearance coinciding, Ganesh hopes there may be interest in buying the sculptures. 

The Great Elephant Migration was in New York City this past September in the Meatpacking District.  The sculptures are for sale. (Photo courtesy of Jim Fryer and Iri Greco/ BrakeThrough Media | brakethroughmedia.com)

Proceeds from the sculptures’ sales will support conservation NGOs worldwide, with each elephant twinned to a specific organization. Donations range from $10,000 to $100,000 per NGO, funding human-wildlife coexistence projects addressing issues with lions, bison, jaguars, and more.

You don’t have to go to Miami Beach to buy one of the elephants, they are for sale online, too. Check out The Miami Herd here.

Additionally, the project has committed to offsetting its carbon footprint. Through initiatives such as converting Lantana into biochar, it has already created hundreds of jobs for Indigenous communities while sequestering significant amounts of carbon.

Ganesh hopes the installation leaves a lasting impact on Miami. “The elephants spark conversations around tolerance, empathy, and coexistence,” she said. “We hope people leave the exhibit feeling inspired to find ways to live better with animals.”

WHAT:  The Great Elephant Migration

WHERE: Near 36th Street Park, 3501 Collins Ave., Miami Beach

WHEN:  Sunday, Nov. 24 through Sunday, Dec. 8

COST:  Free

INFORMATION: thegreatelephantmigration.org 

ArtburstMiami.com is a nonprofit media source for the arts featuring fresh and original stories by writers dedicated to theater, dance, visual arts, film, music and more. Don’t miss a story at www.artburstmiami.com.