A heated controversy erupted when a female artist painted an elephant entirely pink for an art photoshoot, before the elephant died three months later.
On 16 April 2026, foreign news agencies reported calls to investigate the ethics of Russian photographer Julia Buruleva’s art project in India last November. She painted an elephant named "Janchal" entirely pink, with a female model also painted pink sitting atop the elephant, raising widespread animal welfare concerns.
Reports stated that the elephant named Janchal died in February, and photos and videos from the artist’s shoot were released, claiming the work was part of a pink-themed art project conducted in Jaipur, Rajasthan, last November. The photographer’s representatives explained that the paint used was “Gulal,” a powder color popular in the Holi festival, which was washed off within minutes after the shoot.
Despite this explanation, experts warned that even natural powder colors might irritate an elephant’s skin or respiratory system, especially if modern chemical additives are present. They also questioned the standards for animal protection in India’s art industry.
NDTV reported Dr. Arvind Mathur, a forensic pathologist, confirming that Janchal was 67 years old and died from heart and respiratory failure, a natural cause unrelated to the Gulal paint incident.
Recently, animal conservation groups, including actor and PETA activist Rupali Ganguly, have called for a ban on using elephants for tourism and performances, sending a letter to India’s Prime Minister. There are growing demands to prohibit animal use in art when it constitutes cruelty, and calls to investigate the elephant’s owner, the photographer, and related authorities.
Source: The Independent / NDTV
Photo: Instagram/julia.buruleva