Pachyderm Picassos Elephants Create GuitarManiaź Art at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

(Cleveland, Ohio) June 15, 2004
Without doubt, elephants are creative. In fact, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's three elephants, Jo, Moshi and Martika are the mammoth masters when it comes to painting. But can they play guitars?

Media representatives are invited to get an up-close view of the talented trio painting a giant guitar for GuitarManiaź II, Encore in 2004 on Thursday, June 17 at 9:30 a.m. in the Zoo's Pachyderm Building. Background music? What else but the guitar-smashing band, The Who.

Zookeepers have taught Moshi (age 26), Martika (age 17) and Jo (age 35) to paint as an enrichment activity, purely for elephants' enjoyment. The big three will collaborate on the 10-foot-tall guitar but have each developed a unique painting style. Jo prefers short, quick strokes while Martika is more inclined to rapid, bold strokes. Moshi takes careful, long strokes although she enjoys painting the Zookeepers as much as the canvas.

Elephants are highly intelligent creatures with brains far bigger than human brains. Evidence of elephant intelligence includes artistic creativity. They are the largest living land mammals, each consuming nearly 350 pounds of food and 18 gallons of water every day.

GuitarManiaź II, Encore in 2004 is a public art project presented by United Way Services, in cooperation with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Following a kick-off at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum on May 28, the entire band of nearly 90 10-foot-tall fiberglass guitars with creative designs by celebrity and local artists will be on display throughout Greater Cleveland throughout the summer. The guitars will be together at the Rock Hall from Labor Day weekend until they are auctioned off on November 6, 2004. Proceeds benefit United Way Services of Greater Cleveland and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's education fund. United Way Services currently supports 196 health and human services programs that serve one in four Greater Clevelanders annually at more than 130 partner agencies.

For further information on the elephants art work, log on to www.clemetzoo.org. For information on GuitarManiaź II and a map of guitar locations, visit www.cleveland.com/guitarmania.

The wild elephant population in Africa has diminished by 50% in just the last 10 years. To benefit endangered wildlife, obtain one of these rare and unique works of art while contributing to elephant conservation. Each painting is one-of-a-kind and their styles are evolving. Part of the enjoyment for the elephants is that they paint however they choose. Therefore, special requests cannot be commissioned (unless you can speak elephant!)