A herd of elephants — statues, that is! — are making their way to the Meatpacking District this fall.
On Sept. 6, The Great Elephant Migration will be spread across the neighborhood, where they will remain through October. Created by artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude, this was created in partnership with Elephant Family USA, an international non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to helping the human race share space with the world’s magnificent 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. 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. This installation is a prime example of how a business improvement district can bridge community and culture to make a lasting impression on all who pass through—and you won’t want to miss it,” said Jeffrey LeFrancois, Executive Director of the Meatpacking BID.
The installation will include 100 life-sized sculptures of Indian elephants that are bound to captivate visitors of all ages. This will be one of the city’s largest public art installations since Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s The Gates in 2005.
The Great Elephant Migration aims to highlight fundraising benefits for Indigenous and community-led conservation efforts, particularly for those who have found ways to live alongside elephants, lions, leopards and other challenging animals, inspiring peaceful, symbiotic human and animal coexistence. Each elephant, created by the Coexistence Collective, is made of an invasive plant species called Lantana camera and provides financial stability, status and pride to 200 members of the Soligas, Bettakurumbas, Kattunayakan and Paniyas tribes.
After the elephants arrive in New York, Indian fashion house Sabyasachi will host activations during Fashion Week that will allow the public to interact with the installation in a different way. More related programming and events will take place with the sculptures at key gateways and plazas
For more information, visit thegreatelephantmigration.org.
