“The Great Elephant Migration” by The Coexistence Collective

After a long journey, “The Great Elephant Migration” has finally made its way to New York City. The herd will call the Meatpacking District home for the next few weeks, inviting us all to walk alongside the elephants as they explore the neighborhood. The traveling herd of 100 pachyderm models are each inspired by an individual living elephant in the Nilgiri Hills region of Southern India, and the sculptures are constructed by indigenous artisans and contemporary artists. The majestic elephants are meant to mimick “how it is when you’re in India, with the elephants walking through the streets” according to Dodie Kazanjian, the founder of the Rhode Island nonprofit Art&Newport, who curated the elephants’ US tour.

We last caught up with the elephants in London back in 2021 and are thrilled to visit them again in our backyard! A must see for kids of all ages, the installation will leave us October 20th and travel throughout the US through 2025.

The Origami Holiday Tree

In keeping the spirit of the Holiday Season going, we decided to visit the craftiest tree in NYC! The Origami Holiday tree housed at the American Museum of Natural History is truly a work of art. Every year, a holiday tree is crafted out of beautiful Origami figures based on a chosen theme. This year the theme was “Proboscideans on Parade” to coincide with the museum’s new exhibition The Secret World of Elephants. Created in partnership with Origami USA, the American national society devoted to origami, the art of paperfolding, this tree is made of over a thousand of intricately crafted models of elephant and elephant-relatives such as the Woolly Mammoth. Lucky for all holiday decor and origami lovers out there, this exhibit is still open to see until Jan 15!

"Our Herd of Hope" Presented by Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

During a weekend stroll in London,  we experience déjà vu when we came across lifelike bronze statues of elephants gracefully adorning Spitalfields Market. They reminded us of the herd in Berkeley Square. But these magnificent sculptures are the creation of Gillie and Marc, celebrated for promoting love, equality, and conservation worldwide.

This artistic exhibit, titled "Our Herd of Hope,"  is inspiring in that it serves a vital purpose - to generate support and awareness for the conservation of elephant species. Each smaller sculpture symbolizes a real elephant herd, emphasizing the importance of their protection. Partnering with the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, this installation plans to migrate to various locations across London, making a powerful impact on its journey.  We will be following along! 

Elephants in London

Wildlife in London is usually limited to squirrels, pigeons, and ducks – the usual urban fauna. Londoners don’t generally expect to navigate around elephants while they walk through the public parks. For the last six weeks, however, that is exactly what they did. The elephants, of course, were not real, living beasts, but life-size sculptures installed in the Royal Parks by Elephant Family and The Real Elephant Collective as part of the CoExistence initiative. In an attempt to raise awareness of the increasing numbers of elephants living in human-dominated landscapes, these 100 Asian elephant sculptures were placed in the UK’s largest urban center. The sculptures are handcrafted by communities in Tamil Nadu, India, many of whom coexist with real life elephants. At the end of their time in London, the elephants, which are each unique, will be sold, with the proceeds benefiting Elephant Family.