AR. ASHIESH SHAH FOR ELEPHANT FAMILY

2017

Elephant: BHUMI

Created as part of the UK India Year of Culture, Elephant Parade India is organized by Elephant Family in association with Good Earth and in partnership with the Wildlife Trust of India. 100% of the proceeds generated through the online auction will raise funds to secure 101 crucial elephant corridors in India, the pathways that elephants depend upon to get from one forest feeding ground to the next.

Tapping into India’s rich artisanal heritage and indigenous crafts the ‘untitled’ elephant is characterized by an aesthetic that incorporates natural materials and traditional handmade processes. Stripped down and subtle, primary emphasis is given to material and form. The elephants body is covered in cane, a material recurrent in rural India but also important in Modern Indian design. Brass anklets on the elephant’s legs allude to India’s long standing tradition of decorating the veneered animals, believed to be symbols of strength and wealth.