A Russian photographer has faced criticism across India after painting an elephant pink for a photo shoot.
Russian photographer Julia Buruleva has been angered over her shoot with an elephant in Jaipur, according to several Indian media. India Today reports that Buruleva went to Jaipur for an art trip and reported the planning process behind the shoot with the pink elephant on Instagram.
The artist says the idea came after spending several weeks observing the city’s colors and visual culture. He described his photography concept as “a pink elephant against the old Rajasthani gates,” adding that elephants are an important symbol of Rajasthan that he “can’t pass without including.”
Buruleva explained the preparation involved, including frequent visits to elephant farms to find participants willing to cooperate, as well as efforts to find a place despite restrictions related to heritage protection and permits. He explains that it was difficult to find a sample of the shoot, several people declined due to social and family problems, before one agreed.
“The preparation was intense. I visited several elephant farms to find people willing to cooperate. In the farm with the most reasonable manager, I went four times – to show that I am serious. Finding a place? Nightmare. Heritage sites, bureaucracy, permits
The painting ended up in an abandoned Lord Ganesha temple, and he says he painted the elephant pink using “local paint, the same paint that the locals use for festivals, so it was safe for the animal.”
‘Should have used AI’
However, the photos have drawn strong criticism online from Indian netizens, with some people accusing Buruleva of animal abuse.
“Let’s go to India and paint elephants, so my Instagram can get likes. This is not art, this is animal abuse,” one user wrote.
Others questioned why the animal was used at all, even suggesting that the photographer should have made the elephant pink in the press: “It’s amazing how much an elephant has to suffer in order for the photos to look good.
“Using natural colors does not justify the fact that you have to paint an animal completely on its body for your art. Elephants have porous skin and are very sensitive… You could have easily done this in AI” one social media user writes.
Responding to criticism, Buruleva was asked by In the days of Hindustan and said that the elephant was not harmed. He said the paint was safe, non-toxic, and washable, and that the assembly was short.
“I fully understand and share the opinion that animals should always be in good conditions and not subjected to violence. At the same time, I believe that it is important to find the right balance that allows people to meet nature and living creatures in a respectful and thoughtful way,” Julia Buruleva tells In the days of Hindustan.
Buruleva also argued against using AI to reproduce similar images in his photographs.
He says: “My artistic practice is based on interacting with the environment and its life forms, creating work that is in harmony with nature as opposed to purely digital methods. “While AI and digital tools can create images, they cannot replace the reality of real-life connection, which is at the heart of my work.”
Image credits: All images via Instagram / Julia Buruleva.
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