#Slonik
An extraordinary normal Elephant
#Slonik was created to draw people's attention to the problem of abuse and extinction of elephants in Africa and Asia. If we allow elephants to become extinct, it's going to damage the entire eco-chain, including humans themselves.
Michael Tsaturyan
Author
Mission
There are few simple things that everybody can do to not stimulate cruel businesses that exploit animals
Ignore zoos and circuses
There are many different shows that not using animals and looks much more interesting than traditional ones
Don't buy goods made of animal skins fur and bones
Modern materials are in no way inferior to natural ones and often even surpass them in their qualities
Don't ride
There's only one cruel way to tame an elephant. Little elephants getting beaten every day until they grow up to let you ride on them
A LITTLE BIT OF A HISTORY
Humankind has systematically exterminated elephants throughout its history. Sometimes this was done for fun, sometimes to create jewelry and luxury items from ivory, and some people even believed in the miraculous properties of elixir from the elephant's trunk convinced that their own "trunk" will regain its former hardness and increase in size.
There are only two species of elephants left on Earth. These are Asian elephants, which are also referred to as Indian and African. Their numbers have halved between 2007 and 2014 alone, according to recent statistical studies. Elephants as a species are on the verge of extinction and the blame lies with humans, because the elephant has no other enemies in the wild. If such a large mammal disappears from its native regions, the consequences for the ecosystem will be irreversible. According to CNN, our planet has lost 58% of vertebrates since 1970. The Earth has already experienced 5 mass disappearances of living creatures, but this one is the first in history which carries a direct human imprint.
All of us still have a chance to take part in the rescue of elephants and make them happier animals, because elephants even know how to laugh.
#Slonik's task is to draw people's attention to the problem of abuse and extinction of elephants. Its scale will be so huge (23m/75ft tall) that it will definitely not go unnoticed. I chose the most famous art festival on the planet as the most appropriate place for #Slonik - "Burning Man 2019", which attracts tens of thousands of people from all over the world - and millions more follow the events through the media and social networks.
BURNING MAN
The festival takes place in the Nevada desert at the center of a dried-up lake. This festival is not about music, but instead about culture and self-expression in general. In the desert environment, you can find incredible examples of contemporary art from all over the world.
#Slonik x Robot Heart
Burning Man 2019
Records
The real ratio of the scales with the monuments of Prince Vladimir, the statue of David and the Mercedes-Benz G55
#Slonik is the biggest inflatable figure of an elephant in the world! This record is registered by the international agency InterRecord
#Slonik is the largest inflatable figure ever created in Russia! This record is registered by the Russian list of records
#TURBOSLONIK
There is also a smaller, retrofuturistic version of Slonik (5 meters) made of holographic polyurethane, which travels separately from its big brother and helps to spread information about the project around the world.
Timeline
1
Presentation and the first home of #Slonik
17 May 2019 Moscow, Russia
2
Presentation of #TURBOSLONIK on music festival "All day I Dream"
25 May 2019 Vorobyovy Gory, Moscow, Russia
3
Festival of a modern street culture
8-9 June 2019 Aviapark, Moscow, Russia
4
Festival
9 June 2019 Hlebozavod, Moscow, Russia
5
The biggest Russian open-air festival
22-23 June 2019 Park "Kolomenskoe" Moscow, Russia
6
The Worlds Famous Art Festival
25 August - 02 September 2019 Black Rock Desert, Nevada, USA
7
SAN FRANCISCO DECOMPRESSION
Official Burning Man Regional Event
19 October 2019 Potrero Power Station, San Francisco, California, USA
8
VENICE AFTERBURN
Official Burning Man Regional Event
01-03 November 2019 Venice Beach, Los Angeles, California, USA