A foreign photographer is facing backlash online after images from her Jaipur photoshoot showed a real elephant painted bright pink.
Julia Buruleva, who documented the process behind the shoot, shared the video on Instagram, which featured a model and a vividly painted elephant set against Rajasthani architecture. Explaining the concept, she said that the idea came after spending several weeks in Jaipur. She described elephants as a prominent cultural symbol of Rajasthan and said that she wanted to incorporate one into her work. “I decided on one solid bright pink elephant, the most popular colour in Rajasthan,” she wrote.
The photographer also detailed the effort behind the shoot, including scouting locations, navigating permits, and visiting multiple elephant facilities to find one that would cooperate. “Preparation was intense. I visited several elephant farms to find people willing to cooperate. At the farm with the most reasonable manager, I went four times - to show I was serious. Finding the location? Nightmare. Heritage sites, bureaucracy, permits. I took tuk-tuk before dawn, scouting for perfect morning light, streets empty, and a place not listed as protected heritage,” she wrote, adding that the shoot finally took place at an abandoned temple of Lord Ganesha.
Julia Buruleva also clarified that the paint used was organic and locally sourced, claiming it was safe and similar to what is used during festivals.
However, the elephant featured in the photoshoot, died last month.
Social media reactions
However, the photoshoot quickly drew criticism online, with many users objecting to using a live animal for artistic purposes.
“This is not art, this is pure ANIMAL ABUSE and so not ok to glorify it,” one user wrote.
“Using organic colours doesn’t justify the fact that you had to subject an animal to being entirely painted on their body for your art. Elephants have very porous skin and are highly sensitive . As an artist surely you could find / imagine / curate better imagery without having to subject an animal to hours to make up for the benefit of your portfolio or photograph them without having them have extensive MU . You could have easily done this in AI,” commented another.
“Creative freedom is not a free pass for irresponsible expression. This is just a very bad judgement call on your part. Turning an elephant into a pink prop for aesthetics is deeply inappropriate, both ethically and culturally. Whether intentional or not, content like this normalizes using animals as decorative objects and encourages others to push similar lines for attention. Using an animal this way sets a troubling example of what people will justify in the name of creativity. On top of that, you mention Lord Ganesh.. clearly, you have misunderstood the culture. And a city like Jaipur, doesn't need this kind of manufactured shock value. What a weak and dishonourable representation of the city,” wrote a third user.
“Strange how the elephant has to suffer so the photos can look beautiful. Should’ve just used AI and saved the poor animal the stress,” said another.
Photographer addresses criticism
Responding to the backlash, the photographer told HT.com that no harm was caused to the animal. She said the paint used was safe, non-toxic, and washable, and the session was brief.
“I fully understand and share the perspective that animals should always be kept in good conditions and never subjected to violence. At the same time, I believe it is important to find a healthy balance that allows humans to connect with nature and living beings in a respectful and mindful way,” Julia Buruleva told HT.com.
“My artistic practice is rooted in interacting with the environment and its living forms, creating work in harmony with nature rather than purely digital methods. While AI and digital tools can replicate images, they cannot replace the authenticity of real-life connection, which is the heart of my work. My intention is always to engage respectfully, ethically, and with care for both the culture and the life forms that make each project unique,” she added.