This weekend The Herd of Sheffield is on display at the nearby Meadowhall shopping centre. Fifty eight fibreglass elephants all individually decorated by local artists. They will be auctioned off on Thursday evening. We were hoping to bag one until I read that organisers expect the average price will be £1500 - which is much more than we are prepared to shell out.
Anyway, I drove over to Meadowhall on Friday lunchtime and saw the entire herd of pachyderms. They have delighted this city and their absence from scattered locations has left a void in Sheffielders' lives. This thoughtful and well-executed project has already raised many thousands of pounds for our children's hospital.
Human creativity is mind-blowing. At first there were fifty eight neutral elephants - blank canvases. Then the artists came along and created fifty eight unique designs. Some celebrated nature, others spoke of industry, labour or history. Some had serious points to make, others were simply frivolous. Some were abstract while others were naturalistic. Every one was different.
Farewell to The Herd of Sheffield.
I like them all!
ReplyDeleteIf you bought one, where would you have put it?
On the dining room table of course. He would have been a conversation piece.
DeleteA lot of trunk calls made in Yorkshire by the looks of it.
ReplyDeleteYes. We are always bellowing like elephants.
DeleteI love them. I wish Brisbane would copy this idea.
ReplyDeleteYou could have fibreglass wombats. Phone the mayor - Graham Quirk - and forward the idea. Tel. 07 3403 4400
DeleteI would love to have seen them YP, so thanks for the glimpses you have given us.
ReplyDelete'Tis my pleasure fair lady.
DeleteI like these! Especially the green and orange ones. My mother in law has collected elephants for years and years, I wish she could see them!
ReplyDeleteI bought Shirley a small cuddly one. I will name him after your mother-in-law if you provide her first name. I hope it's not Nelly!
DeleteIt's Edythe...but we call her Edie. :)
DeleteEdie the Elephant has a nice ring to it. I might post a picture of our Edie one day.
DeleteThey really are a brilliant idea. My favourite is the patchwork one, and I'd love one for the garden. Alas, at that price I'll just have to make a small ceramic one - I have some clay somewhere !
ReplyDeleteWhen you mentioned them in an earlier post YP, I think I commented that it's a pity they didn't make small copies, which people could buy for a few pounds. I think they missed out on a whole market there.
I bought a small cuddly one for "The Wife" but I think your idea was better CG.
DeleteThese are well worth a look. I would think it would take more than a lunch hour to appreciate these elephants.
ReplyDeleteThere swas even a Red elephant called Matisse's last Assistant. See
Deletehttp://www.herdofsheffield.com/sculptures/matisses-last-assistant/
Wow! Just imagine!
DeleteI love this elephants but yes, the prize is far beyond the possible. Have you thought about drawing up a photo collage with the photos you have taken? Btw, thanks for the German sign in one of your recent posts, I liked that finger-pointing ;-) (I've been on holiday and couldn't send comments via my iPhone (for whatever reason)).
ReplyDeleteI guess you have been holiday to the South Pacific islands Kaki. Did you get to wear a grass skirt and meet your family?
DeleteWe had sheep in Wrexham. Sad to say, one or two of them were kidnapped when they first appeared but luckily, they were rescued!
ReplyDeleteWhen they were displayed around the city, Sheffield's elephants were secured to heavy concrete blocks. Even so one was kidnapped for a while.
DeleteI am a fan of the idea of letting several people's creativity play with the same base, no matter whether it is elephants, lions, bears, benches (as it was the case some years ago in my hometown) or the beginning of a story that wants to be continued.
ReplyDeleteIt is fascinating to see what different people can make out of the very same thing or idea, isn't it!
I wonder what the Miss Arian elephant would have been like? I am thinking a neat and tidy design with homely plumped up cushions and retro furniture...or The Ripon Cathedral Elephant.
DeleteAnd it would be wearing specs!
DeleteThis is a wonderful 'craze' that seems to have touched many parts of the world with different animals.
ReplyDeleteThe Sheffield Herd project has been very well-organised and has been embraced by local people. It will be interesting to see how many thousands have been raised for Sheffield Children's Hospital body scanner appeal.
DeleteThose are some amazing elephants! If the AVERAGE price is £1500, maybe some will be cheaper. I don't know what your budget is, but you might try for one anyway! It would definitely make a distinctive garden ornament. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for your encouragement Steve. I was thinking £300 to £400. Maybe I will go to the auction. It costs £25 for a ticket.
DeleteI'm really looking forwards to going. I hope i can get one as i have set a slightly higher maximum for myself even though i cant really afford / justify it, its a one off and i will potentially have this momento for the rest of my life. Worth paying for in my eyes. Not a clue which one to go for. Apparently the Arctic Monkeys one has a £10,000 reserve / Starting price! Ouch
ReplyDeleteWell. I wish you the best of luck Adam. Go on The Herd of Sheffield website and see all 58 in "The Trail".
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