Herd Of 30 Life-Size Elephant Sculptures Coming To Livermore

LIVERMORE, CA — A herd of elephants is on its way to Livermore, and once they arrive, they plan to stay for a while.

The Great Elephant Migration, a global public art and fundraising initiative featuring a traveling herd of life-size Indian elephant sculptures, is making its Bay Area debut in downtown Livermore. From Oct. 10 to Dec. 6, the hand-crafted elephants will be on view in front of the Bankhead Plaza and Stockmen’s Park.

Each elephant is a faithful, life-size replica of a real wild elephant living in the Nilgiri Hills of southern India. A collective of Indigenous artisans known as The Real Elephant Collective knows each elephant by name and personality, and crafts their replicas using Lantana camara, an invasive species that has overtaken large areas of India’s forests and displaced wildlife from its natural habitat. Harvesting the weed for sculptures helps clear it from wildlife habitat.

The elephants began their world tour in 2021, and have traveled everywhere from London to Miami to Beverly Hills to Newport, Rhode Island to New York City. The presence of large-scale elephants in dense, human spaces highlights the nature of human coexistence with large animals.

“The Great Elephant Migration carries a simple idea across the world: people and wildlife can share space. The project draws inspiration from Indigenous communities in India that have lived alongside wild elephants for generations,” Three Thirty-Three Arts, a Bay Area public art nonprofit that partnered with Livermore Valley Arts to bring the elephants to Livermore, said in a news release.

Livermore will be the herd’s only stop on the West Coast in 2026. Their visit to Livermore is hosted by Livermore Valley Arts and Three Thirty-Three Arts, with support from the city of Livermore, LVA Director Jean King, and Visit Tri-Valley. The exhibit will be free and open to the public, though individual elephants are for sale for anywhere from $8,500 to $22,500.

Since 2024, The Great Elephant Migration has granted more than $1.4 million in proceeds to support communities living alongside elephants, lions, tigers, buffalo, grizzly bears, and other wildlife. Funds also support Indigenous-led and community-based conservation, sustainable livelihoods, habitat restoration, and projects that help people and wildlife coexist.

“The Great Elephant Migration is a powerful example of how art can create connections to culture, conservation and our shared world,” said Anne Giancola, Visual Arts and Education Manager for Livermore Valley Arts. “Livermore Valley Arts is proud to be part of creating those connections - bringing an extraordinary artistic experience to our community while inviting people to think more deeply about our relationship with the natural world and the importance of protecting it.”

"This temporary installation is truly unique. It has fired the imaginations throughout our community," said Livermore Mayor John Marchand.

For more information, visit 333arts.org/gem.