A foreign photographer has come under heavy criticism after images from a photoshoot in Jaipur showed a real elephant painted bright pink. The visuals, shared on social media, quickly went viral, triggering widespread backlash over the use of a live animal for artistic purposes.
The photographer, Julia Buruleva, documented the process on Instagram, explaining that the idea came after spending time in Jaipur. She described elephants as an important cultural symbol of Rajasthan and said she chose pink as it is a popular colour in the region. She also detailed the extensive preparation involved, including scouting locations, securing permissions, and visiting multiple elephant facilities before finalising the shoot at an abandoned temple of Lord Ganesha. Buruleva stated that the paint used was organic, locally sourced, and safe for the animal.
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Julia Buruleva shares the BTS
She shared a post and wrote,"Watch Behind the scenes. it was probably worth coming to India just for this shoot. I spent 6 weeks in Jaipur -after the first week, when my brain was already overloaded with all the colors and images of the city, this idea appeared: a pink elephant against classic Rajasthani gates. Elephants are everywhere there - streets, ornaments, architecture. Practically the main symbol of Rajasthan. I just couldn’t pass by without including one."
She added,"For anyone worried about the elephant - we used organic, locally-made paint, the same kind locals use for festivals so it was absolutely safe for the animal. In India the only thing that really works is praying for the project’s success."
Photoshoot concept draws criticism
Despite her explanation, the shoot has been widely criticised online. Many users objected to the use of a real elephant, arguing that no form of paint, organic or otherwise, justifies subjecting an animal to such treatment. Critics pointed out that elephants have sensitive, porous skin and questioned the ethics of turning them into visual props for photography.
One user wrote, "Deeply upsetting. Even if your own intentions are to be respectful while expressing your creativity, and even if you took measures to make the elephant feel safe and comfortable, please think about the consequences of normalising the act of putting colour on animals. What does this signal to people who may not have your intention, but see this as a free pass to abuse animals? It’s something many Indians fight on a daily basis, especially during Holi when hapless animals are subjected to horrors similar to this. Is the act and the art worth it? Is this what you want people to remember about your work and what it encourages people to take away from it?"
Another wrote,"Could’ve used AI to make the elephant pink! This is so silly. There was no need to do this. Stick to inanimate objects to showcase painted art. Or do it on yourself. Leave animals alone."
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Others also raised concerns about cultural sensitivity, arguing that the shoot misrepresented local traditions and religious symbols. Another user wrote, "Let’s go to India and paint elephants so my Instagram can get some likes.This is not art, this is pure ANIMAL ABUSE and so not ok to glorify it."
The controversy has reignited conversations around ethical boundaries in art and the treatment of animals in creative industries.
