Julia Buruleva, the photographer behind the picture that featured an elephant that was coated in pink for effect and later died, said the photoshoot was part of an ongoing art project.
Taken this past November, the controversial shoot was first shared on Buruleva’s Instagram page in December. The artist said that it was all about India‘s Jaipur, which is known as the “Pink City.”
Painting elephants is a local tradition in Rajasthan, where there is an elephant festival, the artist noted. In addition, symbols of elephants are featured in decor, architectural elements, textiles, and sculpture, she added.
Chanchal, the elephant that was photographed, died a few months after the photoshoot and was reportedly up to 70-years-old. Buruleva said via e-mail, “The idea of painting the elephant did not come from nowhere. When you spend weeks in Jaipur, you see painted elephants in the streets many times a day,” adding that the particular pink that was chosen is one of the common colors used in traditional decoration.
You May Also Like
Having been a traveling photographer for the past two years, she said that she is fully dedicated to her “ethnographic surrealism” Art Expedition project, which involves extended stay in different countries to create a series of works based on each region’s cultural code.
In addition to magazine work, Buruleva shoots music videos and conceptual stories, and collaborates with such photo agencies as Rockenfeller & Göbels and Art Talents. Her work can be found in the Begemot art gallery in Barcelona and online at Wyndar.
Reached in Guatemala, where she is working on the next series for the Art Expedition, the photographer claimed that Saatchi Art had removed her profile, due to “pressure from complaints.” Suggesting that she later disproved the accusations, Buruleva said the platform was unable to restore the profile that she had spent years building, so she now has to rebuild it.
Buruleva alleged that the main part of the backlash was driven by misinformation that Chanchal had died as a result of the photo shoot. She claimed the animal died of natural causes, and cited previous media reports. Describing the backlash as “a serious stress” that included alleged death threats towards her and others close to her, Buruleva said that she was fortunate to have had the support of her professional partners.
The artist alleged the shoot was carried out “with the involvement of local professionals experienced in traditional elephant decoration for Jaipur festivals. A non-toxic traditional pigment called gulal was used, according to the photographer. She said, “Everything was done safely for the animal.”
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has called on Buruleva to take down the commercial print from her website or donate all proceeds from the print to advance elephant conservation or protection efforts in India such as PETA India’s mechanical elephant project. The organization advocates for replacing captive elephants with mechanical ones.
Buruleva alleged, “If PETA had any real evidence connecting the shoot to the death of Chanchal, they would have provided it.”
Earlier this month the organization headlined a press release with “After ‘Pink’ Elephant Chanchal is Reported Dead, PETA India Demands Russian Artist Pull the Print or Donate ALL Proceeds Towards Indian Elephant Protection.” A PETA India representative said in a press release that coating an elephant’s skin “around sensitive areas can pose a risk especially for animals in vulnerable health.”
Her images have also been published in Vogue, L’Officiel, Elle, and online art platforms such as Artsy, The Pink Lemonade, Plastic, and Rated Modern Art. She said, “Although my work can sometimes intersect visually with fashion, it is primarily conceptual and site-specific in real locations in collaboration with local people.”
While Diana Vreeland famously said, “Pink is the navy blue of India,” that outlook did not impact Buruleva’s approach. The photographer said, “I’m not very familiar with Diana Vreeland’s view of pink, so it wasn’t something I was consciously referencing.”
