Elephant ART Project
The detrimental effects of the human-elephant conflict, including poaching, can be seen on the ground with the increased number of displaced or abandoned elephant orphans.
Artist François Vandenberghe, internationally known for his lifelike bronze elephant sculptureshas, long been an advocate for the survival of wild elephants. His dedication aligns with the mission of HERD, South Africa’s first dedicated elephant orphanage, founded by Adine Roode, which focuses on caring for and rehabilitating orphaned elephants, integrating them into the Jabulani Herd to provide them with a new family and a second chance at life.
Leveraging their personal connection with Adine Roode and Oliver Cafmeyer from the Cafmeyer Gallery, which exclusively sells the artist’s sculptures, our founders organized a collaborative fundraiser. This partnership culminated in the creation of two exquisite sculptures based on elephants from the Jabulani Herd, most of them orphans themselves and roaming next to the HERD orphanage.
The sculptures emphasize the continued existence of elephants all around the world.
Bronze Sculpture TOKWE & KUMBURA
The sculpture Tokwe & Kumbura was created after the image of the two most female elephants in the Jabulani herd.
Tokwe led the way for the original herd rescued from Zimbabwe. She is extremely kind, patient, accepting and nurturing, always leading by example and an excellent decision maker. Tokwe is a mother of two elephants herself and still welcomes orphans into her family.
Kumbura is a lovely young female elephant with a genuine love for calves. As an orphan elephant herself, she has been successfully integrated in the Jabulani Herd and is now the youngest allomother in that unique herd. There is no doubt she will become a phenomenal mother or even a matriarch in the future as she has a natural empathy and instinct to protect.
Bronze Sculpture SEBAKWE & KHANYISA
This sculpture was created after the image of the dominant male elephant Sebakwe and the albino baby elephant Khanyisa in the Jabulani herd.
Sebakwe is a confident and reliable elephant, who acts protectively and genuinely cares about every elephant in the herd. He commands respect and has a cheerful personality but he does have a softness for young elephant calves such as Khanyisa.
Khanyisa is in the care of the orphanage since January 2020 after she was found with serious injuries from a poaching trap around her neck. Khanyisa has shown to be a true strength of character and has inspired many people along her recovery.
Wild herds have been known to reject orphaned baby elephants.The unique structure of the Jabulani Herd, most of them orphaned elephants themselves, makes that orphan Khanyisa has been integrated successfully in her adoptive family. Sebakwe was one of the first male elephant she was introduced to back in 2020.
These 2 LIMITED EDITION bronze sculptures, in an edition of 51 each, will be sold exclusively by Cafmeyer Gallery. Per sculpture 1000€ will be donated to support the IZINDLOVU FUND for the benefit of HERD, South Africa’s first elephant orphanage
