Russian Photographer Faces Backlash for Painting Elephant Pink in Jaipur Photoshoot

Russian photographer Julia Buruleva has come under fire on social media after painting an elephant bright pink for a photoshoot in Jaipur, with many users accusing her of promoting animal cruelty.

The controversy erupted after Buruleva shared behind-the-scenes moments from the shoot on Instagram, where she explained that the concept was part of an art project inspired by Jaipur’s vivid colours and cultural imagery.

According to her post, the idea developed after spending several weeks in the city, immersing herself in its distinctive visual landscape.

The photographer says the idea developed after spending several weeks observing the city’s colors and visual culture. She described her concept for the photo shoot as “a pink elephant against classic Rajasthani gates,” adding that elephants are a key symbol of Rajasthan that she “just couldn’t pass by without including.”

The photo shoot ultimately took place at an abandoned temple of Lord Ganesha, and she says she painted the elephant pink using “organic, locally-made paint, the same kind locals use for festivals, so it was absolutely safe for the animal.”

However, the photographs have prompted strong criticism online from Indian social media users, with some individuals accusing Buruleva of animal abuse.

“Let’s go to India and paint elephants, so my Instagram can get some likes. This is not art, this is pure animal abuse,” one user writes.

Others questioned why an animal was used at all, even suggesting that the photographer should have made the elephant pink in the edit: “Strange how the elephant has to suffer so the photos can look beautiful. Should’ve just used AI.”

“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… You could have easily done this in AI” another social media user writes.

In response to the criticism, Buruleva was interviewed by the Hindustan Times and stated that the elephant was not harmed. She said the paint was safe, non-toxic, and washable, and that the session was brief.