Artistic expression or animal abuse? Julia Buruleva under fire for pink elephant photoshoot

Art photographer Julia Buruleva is currently at the receiving end of widespread global condemnation following the release of images and videos featuring a vividly pink-coloured elephant, which were part of a photo shoot in Jaipur. The photo shoot, which took place in front of an abandoned temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha, featured a model posing on top of the elephant, which had been entirely covered in pink paint.

Foreign artist faces outrage on painting elephant pink

While Julia had claimed that the photo shoot was part of her tribute to Rajasthan’s cultural heritage, there have been widespread condemnations on social media, with many accusing Julia of animal exploitation. There were also claims that in today’s era, Julia could have used AI technology to paint the elephant in pink.

Julia, however, sought to allay the fears of the public, claiming that the elephant’s well-being was of primary concern. She explained that a lot of preparation went into the task, from scouting for locations and visiting numerous facilities in search of a cooperative manager. “For anyone worried about the elephant – we used organic, locally-made paint, the same kind locals use for festivals, so it was absolutely safe," she said, adding that my work is not based on any kind of digital tools, but rather based on a very real world connection.”

While Julia’s claim may have sought to assuage the fears of the public, it appears to have had little effect. Several commenters argued that elephants have very sensitive and porous skin and that normalising the painting of animals for social media engagement poses a danger. The locals, however, seemed to have a very firm opinion on the matter, citing that the fact that she chose a Ganesha temple was a fundamental misunderstanding of the culture she sought to celebrate.

The controversy has now moved beyond the digital sphere. Rajasthan forest department officials have announced an investigation into the shoot to determine if any wildlife protection laws were violated.

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