A close-in view of the right side of the face of an elephant sculpture constructed of lantana camara. This photo shows an amber-colored resin eye surrounded by vines following the contours of the elephant’s brow, cheek, ear, legs and trunk. In varying brown shades from dark to light, the lines contrast with the green grass and blue sky visible behind the elephant, in the corners of the photo. Taken 2024 at Somerleyton Hall, Suffolk, UK. ***** BACKGROUND INFO on the artists and material . . . A pretty flowering member of the verbena family, native to the American tropics, the popular, colorful plant found in many a garden center - lantana camara - has now invaded more than 40 countries. As an invasive weed in India, it threatens native species, having invaded around 50% of elephant habitat, and 40% of tiger habitat. In the wild, the toxic shrub generally grows to around 6’ creating dense thickets, and can vine up trees growing more than 15’ in height. As part of an ongoing nonprofit project, The Real Elephant Collective uses the weed to create unique, life-sized Indian elephant sculptures based on individual real elephants, for exciting art installations to encourage living in coexistence with all wild animals. https://www.therealelephant.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lantana_camara https://india.mongabay.com/2020/08/lantana-invasion-threatens-40-percent-of-indias-tiger-habitat-reports-study/
A gentle eye surrounded by #Pieces of noxious vine, for today’s #BlueSkyArtShow
#elephants #India #RealElephantCollective #Coexistence #GreatElephantMigration #ArtForConservation #EastCoastKin #photography #wildlife #sculpture #Suffolk #England
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