SHROFFLEoN

Created as part of the 2017 UK India Year of Culture, Elephant Parade India was organised by Elephant Family in association with Good Earth and in partnership with the Wildlife Trust of India. The initiative was an awareness and fundraising campaign that aimed at drawing attention to the plight of the endangered Asian elephant. Curated by the Elephant Family board, and created by artists, architects and celebrities, each elephant statue was a unique art piece a life-size baby elephant, which was showcased in Mumbai, Jaipur and Kolkata, all to raise awareness for the need of elephant conservation, with 100% of the proceeds generated through an online auction to contribute to funds to secure the 101 elephant corridors in India, the routes are taken by the animals to get from one feeding ground to another.

SHROFFLEoN was invited to participate by Aqdas Tatli and decided to take on the assignment in collaboration with Rooshad Shroff. As our Elephant, OrangeX2654 was the first creative collaboration between brothers Kayzad and Rooshad Shroff, and wife and sister-in-law Maria Leon, both the offices felt it was imperative it be an amalgamation of the distinct and varied aesthetic sensibilities and methodologies. A signature element of both the brands was embedded within the final product - the natural roughness of the Corten steel, a material used extensively by SHROFFLEoN forms the uneven base, with finely detailed patchworks of simulated embroidery, a signature element within the works of Rooshad Shroff, emerging in parts.