The Beginning

Elephants for Peace

In 2003, while living in the formerly divided city island of Berlin, I had a vision for an art project in Cyprus. While I was standing at the window bays of a large studio space in Wedding and gazed towards the other side of the courtyard, I saw women veiled in black bowing down to the Friday prayer. I felt this former island Berlin being free and spacious, noticing how the border had just disappeared without a war. Without a revolution, without the usual military conflict. It was like in a fairy tale, as if the good fairy had just unveiled the actual reality and desire of its inhabitants. Berlin is again the capital of a democratic united country.  In front of my inner eye I suddenly  saw hundreds of elephant and Ganesh figures lining the green border of the divided island Cyprus.

Interesting I thought, that I will be going from this former divided island Berlin to another island where the separation still exists.  A few days earlier I had been offered a teaching position for Art History at the Eastern Mediterranean University
During this very academic year the border opened and one could travel over the entire island.
Since 2004, South Cyprus has become part of the European Community, yet the North is a white spot on the legal mapping system. The border is still present.
The newest developments bring about tremendous hope that the situation is about to change.

The art project “Elephants for Peace” proposes to work with the form and shape of the elephant. He is a symbol for wisdom and for communal life with other species worldwide. A powerful animal living in peace with his surrounding. He is praised for his courage and confidence. He is a symbol of gentleness and secure in his strength. He enjoys creation rather than attacks it.  He stands for loyalty, wisdom and good luck.  This strong yet gentle symbol invites a different type of character into the scenery, known yet not revealed, seen yet not perceived and demonstrates a peaceful attitude. The figure of “Ganesh” provides the title, since he is called: the Remover of Obstacles. As an outsider he carries no connotations that might interfere with local or national interests on the island.

Schools and universities in Cyprus will be asked to contribute their forms of peaceful strength for the country. People from around the globe are offered the possibility to join this artistic endeavor.  There is an international calling for elephant figures.  Companies are invited to join and support, government officials are invited to promote this peaceful endeavor. The wrapping of the Reichstag in Berlin by Christo and Jeanne Claude attracted six million visitors. Art has an inherent power bring about change and to start transformation.
With “ Ganesh Remover of Obstacles” different parts of Cyprus interact with the rest of the world in an art project. This international focus will  put Cyprus’ unique position and its extraordinary history into the awareness of the world. Rose Marie Gnausch
and the naturalmente-roma.org Team
www.naturalmente-roma.org  

Project History

It all started in Berlin in 2003. A vision showing thousands of elephant sculptures transcending the dividing line of Cyprus.

Could the peaceful events from Nov 9, 1989 from the fall of the Berlin wall be repeated in some way in other parts of this world? 

In Venice after the exhausting visit of the Biennale 2007 with the stroller in front of me, the mild breeze of the sea in the face and the gaze on Canal Grande the decision was made: enough of art that laments and shows the status quo. Art is there to make visible, to create the potential, to bring into this world the visions of what can be, not of what is. Since nobody seems to be doing it on a global scale for the fine arts, I was taking up the job.

I started working as of my return from Venice. Headquarter Kinheim, a miniscule village in the Mosel area of Germany.
With no help, no sponsors, no support. Just the driving force that something had to be done to reveal the potential art is holding: it has the capacity to transform the given situation, to make palpable the desired reality.  
We all want peace. We all desire peace. At least the large majority of humankind. Do we see it? What does the knowledge serve us? Here art has the ability to manifest this desire and make it visible.

Since the desire for peace needs an image, a functioning symbol  the vision seems to have pointed in the right direction: the elephant as the largest being sharing this earth with humankind is a source of inspiration. Despite its size it lives in harmony with its surrounding and is respected by all. The real king/queen of the animal realm does not need to enforce her/his power through aggression or oppression. 

The creation of an image to transport the message started the procedure.

The first travel for the project to Cyprus took place in the summer 2008. On site meeting with the people, with the administration. I was faced with a lot of resistance.

The minister of culture liked the project it fitted into the future academic program and the future peace talks between the two presidents. Yet the project was refused because of my former appointment in 2003/04 as a lecturer of art history at a university in Famagusta, the occupied part of the island.

Wherever I turned, the project was either turned down or not seen as anything valuable.

Yet I gained the support of the Head of the Goethe Center Mrs. Woermann-Stylianou. Despite her full schedule and her modest means, she supported me wherever she could.

I returned to the island in October and we decided to prepare a preview exhibition of the project for January. 
On January 6 I came back to Cyprus and installed the elephant items and artworks that had been sent to me since then.

The event was open for all submissions, as long as it reflected the desire for peace in an elephant themed way, it was welcomed and exhibited. It was a challenging situation to exhibit children works, with artists and non-artists work and donations on equal footing.  It went all beautifully and for one evening there was peace in Cyprus. Greek and Turkish Cypriot came in equal numbers and all intermingled with the international community.  It was a relaxed and joyful atmosphere.

I stayed for 6 weeks and met many individuals and groups in order to inform them about the possibility of participation. The Minister of Culture from the North part of the island showed a great interest, yet she said she could not support the project since that would immediately create a boycott from the Greek side.  

In April I came back to realize the event.

Everything was in place, the invitation cards printed the program organized, a gallery space rented right at the checkpoint, the mayor would open the event, and all seems to happen smoothly. Yet, nothing had happen on the Turkish side. Despite my presence there for over a months, and the two largest daily newspaper having covered the event, the void.

When I called the mayors office, I was told that he is boycotting the event.

When I called the fine arts association in the north, I was hearing the same.

Here I was with my team of volunteers a 17 year old German high school student from Cologne and Canadian artist writer from Vienna, a friend from university times in France coming all the way from New Mexico and a German couple artist participant and of course the Goethe Center and the event was to be boycotted on one side of the divide.

Since the Goethe Center and I have been the only driving force behind the event, we split the task: Mrs. Woermann went to see the artist’s league, and I went to see the Mayors office.

It was a beautiful experience. Within 5 minutes I turned the boycott around and we where busy organizing the opening on the Turkish side. We scheduled it for 10:30 whereas the one in the South was scheduled for 11 o’clock.

Authenticity and yearlong ground work made it happen.

At 10:15 the bi-communal/international group Druminspire was starting the opening with a drumming session. African drums where calling the attention.

We had put out our items and elephant themed work on the ground, as close to the checkpoint as possible. At 10:30 Mrs. Woermann-Stylianou opened the exhibition followed by the German ambassador Mr. Zeits and the Deputy Mayor Mr. Cin. I opened my speech with the words “Just imagine and I closed with the words “WE are the world”. Keep on imagining a better world and remember that we are shaping this world. Music has always transcended boarders, and so do elephants since ancient times.   

Mr. Cin was spontaneously addressed by the German ambassador with the proposition to join the opening on the South side. And he accepted!

Drummers where leading the way across the checkpoint, while drumming their passports got stamped. At 11:15 the opening ceremony on the Greek side continued in the same order, Mrs. Elenie Mavrou the mayor of Nicosia ended her speech with the words “Welcome Ganesha, to Nicosia”

The Deputy Mayor Mr. Cin was greeted warmly by his colleague. He spoke a few words in Turkish which was documented by the national TV.

Elephants for Peace has created such a festive activity that allowed for spontaneity of mind, body and hearts.

Several participants of the event where allowed to cross into the Greek side, who had never entered this part of the island. The impossible was happening. All border patrols where smiling at the constant crossing of elephant loaded participants. The Turkish press covered the event widely and 7 different newspaper wrote about the event. The Greek national TV showed it in the evening news and many newspapers wrote about it. For two days the saddening place of the dividing line  was transformed into a smiling, relaxed and happy place. Sonja van Kerkenhoff a New Zealand artist based in Holland crossed the checkpoint several times without stamping her visa. She was able to put 5 of her origami elephants on the actual buffer zone.

Thanks to the force and radiance of art from the hundreds of participants and their beautiful contributions the site became a refreshing place.

Art can transform a site, and transcend the divide.  

On Sunday Mothers Day I was greeted by a Professor from Jerusalem University with the words
“We are expecting you in Jerusalem!”  

Welcome Elephants for Peace to Jersusalem!

We are on our way.

We are happy if you would join us.

www.elephantsforpeace.com

And make sure to spread the good news.

rose marie gnausch