Elephants are every where in Melbourne at the moment! The Age newspaper recently called it a Pachyderm breakout!
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| A 'pair' of elephants in Carlton |
50 life-size baby elephant sculptures are dotted around the city and environs. Each of these sculptures have been decorated by well known artists including Mirka Mora, David Bromley, Deborah Halpin and Graeme Base (of Animalia fame).
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| Deborah Halpin pachyderm outside the Town Hall |
They have hey-de-hoed (the great big elephant is so slow) into town to mark the 150th birthday of the Melbourne Zoo. The project is named the Mali in the City art project and on the website will you will find a list of all the Mali locations. Mali is our most famous Asian elephant calf born recently at the zoo. She's so clever she's even decorated one herself!
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| Mali painted by Mali |
I love the fact that Mali's in all their creative glory pop up in the most unexpected places. I've been on a bit of a mission this last week to try and find (and photograph) them. They are such fun and have changed the 'face' of our city.
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| 'Pure' gold Mali outside the beautiful Treasury Building |
Sadly the project only runs until 21 September 2012 although I was pleased to read that on 25 October 2012 the entire herd will go under the hammer at an Auction Event at the Zoo's Leopard Lodge (don't you love the name). I must say that's nearly a month after the conclusion of the project - does it take that long for them to 'swing their trunks from side to side as they take the children for a ride' back to the zoo? It would have been lovely if they had graced our city spaces for a little longer. The Zoo is calling for potential buyers to register their interest to
attend the Mali in the City Auction via email at maliauction@zoo.org.au. All the proceeds will go to the Zoo's
conservation work as it fights the extinction of animals both in
Australia and overseas.
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| Tiger Mali - sponsored by the Richmond (Tigers) Football Club! |
I encourage you to set out and see how many pachyderms you can find in the next few weeks before it's too late. It's a fun thing for both adults and children to do now that the spring weather has finally arrived. I'm confident that once you find one others will miraculously appear.
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| The many faces of young Victorians |
I just wish I had a big garden - well actually one that's the size of an elephant and not an inner urban postage stamp - where I could tuck my favourite Mali in the undergrowth amongst the palms and ferns.
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| Mali with endangered orangutangs |
Have you seen any in your wanders? If you do then give Mali a pat and just remember - elephants never forget!
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| Graffiti Mali |
I love that you have posted about the elephants! Every time I passed one on my travels it made me smile. There's something serene and joyful about these pachyderms and Melbourne should be celebrating that they're out in the streets!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sally-Anne. There has been a bit of a hue and cry this week because just as school holidays appear the heffalumps disappear from Melbourne! But I have since heard that they are all going back to the Zoo for a month before being auctioned. Personally I think the Zoo would have more 'exposure' and 'advertising' leaving them in the public spaces for an extra month. But who am I to say! Jan
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