Info on my Elephants for London 2010

Elephant Parade Teams Up With Joanna Martin to Unveil Urban Jungle in London Conservation Pioneers Help Paint a Brighter Future for the Endangered Asian Elephant

This Summer, Elephant Family, the only charity solely dedicated to ensuring the survival of the Asian elephant, is teaming up with Joanna Martin to launch London’s biggest ever public art event, which will see the capital taken over by elephants.

Originally developed in Holland by Elephant Parade pioneers Marc and Mike Spits, to help support the protection of the endangered Asian elephant, this unique event will hit London streets for the first time, thanks to Elephant Family founder, Mark Shand.

The parade will feature 250 life-size elephants hand-painted by an assortment of established and emerging talent from the art and design world, including Joanna Martin. Previous parades have been held in Holland and Belgium, raising over €1,600,000 in total.

Joanna Martin explains,
“ I wanted to be an Elephant Parade artist because I believe passionately about our world environment and all forms of life within it. Although I often feel swamped by the international and national news I watch, read and listen to. I keep telling myself that I can do small things to make a difference. In a small way I compost, re-use and recycle, garden organically, feed the birds, have a pond, confront racism and other ‘isms’, support people working together and I paint and promote my beliefs through my work.

London’s Elephant Parade has allowed me to be part of a wonderfully creative project that aims to raise awareness of the Asian elephant’s plight, by providing me with two model elephants to decorate. The colourful design highlights the Asian elephant’s serene grandeur and, I hope, will remind everyone that although the London Elephant Parade has a serious message it will also be one of the most vibrant events to take place in London in 2010.”

This elephant, destined to become highly collectible work of art, will grace a key London landmark turning the capital into an urban jungle. All of the elephants will then be herded together in one of London’s great green spaces for a magnificent exhibition, open to the public.

After going on display to the public they will be auctioned by Sothebys at a glittering event, which aims to raise over £1 million, benefiting more than 15 UK conservation charities working in Asia. Attracting a veritable who’s who of London society, including the Duchess of York, Princess Michael of Kent and Joanna Lumley, this event is set to be the party of the season.

Working with the Wildlife Trust of India, funds raised by the Elephant Parade will be used to buy and manage vital wildlife habitat across Asia, giving Asian elephants, and the species and people that share the land, a safer and more sustainable future. Elephant Family will also invest funds in community education projects across Asia, highlighting the commercial, cultural and ecological significance of Asian elephants, to instigate a positive shift in local attitudes towards elephants.

Elephant Parade 2010 Website