Art, Nature, and Nature in Art: The Great Elephant Migration

A very moving exhibit arrived in Newport R.I. recently to tell the tale of conservation, coexistence with nature, and the power of community in safeguarding the natural word. The Great Elephant Migration features 100 life-size elephant statues made from natural materials. From Newport they will travel to other cities around the country to spread the message.

The elephants were crafted by The Coexistence Collective, a team of more than 200 indigenous Indian artisans, to serve both as a jaw-dropping display and as a call to action. Organized by Elephant Family USA, a nonprofit committed to the protection of Asian wildlife, they aim to illustrate the symbiotic relationship between humans and wildlife and to spotlight the balance between both. 

The statues, shaped from the invasive weed Lantana camara, were placed in large groups in several of Newport’s green spaces. Viewing one cohort of the elephants at the magnificent Breaker’s mansion on the Cliff Walk, I couldn’t help feel the power of art to awaken our consciousness to the need for a more sustainable future.

My photos can’t capture the grandeur, or the awe they inspired. Still, here are a few to inspire.