News
A MASSIVE Look Back (2/3)
Do you remember our MASSIVE, wish-covered elephant??
Following its creation, our hexagon-covered, velvet elephant was put on display in the Springs Shopping Centre during the first week of the Buxton Festival Fringe 2000. It garnered much attention, and many words of appreciation and admiration were spoken.
Written comments included:
- stunning idea – rays of hope!
- Absolutely fantastic – what a brilliant idea
- the patchworks are brill
- original and unique – breath of fresh air
- fab designing and an ace idea
- inspired and inspiring
- a fabulous and creative idea
- a beautiful idea – ‘hope’
- Fantastic A+
- Elephantastic
- Buxton needs more projects like this to bring us all together
- Wonderful creation
- This elephant is COOL!!!
- The hephalump ist zer güt
- I think this elephant is the best elephant ever and the softest one
- it has really drawn people together
- it has changed things for me! I have seen Buxton in a whole new light.
Suggestions for the elephant’s name included: Nirvana, Tauros, Elefish the Jellyphant, Juniper, Pin Cushion, Sid, X-pac, Ray the Gray, Rocky, Hope, Edgar, Elenor, Love and Patch.
“We all loved the elephant”. Nicola
Another community collaboration came during its time in the shopping centre. Members of the public were invited to write down on ribbons a wish for their future. These ‘wish ribbons’ were then attached to the elephant’s technicolour coat. We’ll look back at the wishes in our next post.
The Buxton Festival Fringe panel of judges awarded MASSIVE first prize in the ‘special events’ category and the Well Dressing Festival committee gave us first prize in the ‘best foot character’ category in the Buxton Carnival.
The award-winning, wish-clad, hexagon-covered, velvet elephant danced along to the Buxton Samba Band in the Buxton Carnival parade.
“Apart from the sheer size of it and it billowing in the wind with the wish-ribbons fluttering, it was nice to have an elephant in the carnival and bring hope for the new millennium.” Sandra
Following the festivals, the patchwork blanket and elephant head went on display in the Buxton Museum & Art Gallery and we ran an art workshop during October half-term.
Thanks to:
High Peak Borough Council and the Springs Shopping Centre for their support and generosity towards the project.
The elephant-sitters/wish collectors – Beth, Rachel, Heidi, Bryn, Maxi, Jamie, Kai, Adam, Joan, Claire and Dan
The dream-sharers – the Well Dressing Festival carnival committee; and each and every one of the nine hundred or so wish makers without whom this truly unique log would not have come into being.
Do you have any memories? Get in touch at hello@funnywonders.org.uk.
