International Elephant Parade stops in LAAX

Las Vegas, Dubai, Rio de Janeiro, and now LAAX – the international art exhibition Elephant Parade is stopping off at the mountain destination in Graubünden. Behind the exhibition is the social enterprise of the same name, which is committed to protecting Asian elephants. Cities around the world provide a platform for the exhibition to raise awareness of the need to protect this species. Each of the 60 elephant statues in LAAX is hand-painted and a unique work of art. The exhibition will be on display at various locations in the winter sports area throughout the 2022/23 winter season. 

The story of Mosha 

The colorful paintwork on the art elephants gives little indication of the sad story behind them: while on vacation in Thailand, Elephant Parade founder Marc Spits met a female baby elephant named Mosha who had lost part of her leg after stepping on a landmine. She inspired Spits to found the Elephant Parade company, because Mosha and her fellow elephants are seriously endangered. over the last 100 years, the Asian elephant population has declined by 90% and their habitat has shrunk by 95%. 

Elephants in the mountains for the first time 

In collaboration with the Swiss National Circus Knie, the Elephant Parade is now making its way into the Swiss mountains for the first time. Elephants in the mountains are nothing new for LAAX: back in the summer of 1992, a real elephant spent four days on Crap Masegn as part of the "Crap Art" cultural event. In its honor, the restaurant at the mountain station at around 2,475 meters above sea level was named "Das Elephant." One of the Elephant Parade herds is, of course, still standing on Crap Masegn today.