eo was shot. I can tell you with absolute certainty that elephant did not create that picture out of a need for a creative outlet. It was trained to follow the mahout's (trainer) command and was purely following orders out of fear of the abuse
it suffered during the training process.
If you look closely during the wide angle shots you will see other mahouts standing on their elephant's left side and they too are leading their elephant during the process. The close ups show an elephant's trunk moving a paint brush across a canvas and it appears to be creating a picture, except it is taking commands from its mahout who is out of the shot.
The training process is called the 'pajaan' or 'crush' and is centuries old and is used throughout Asia today. It involves taking a 3-year-old baby from its mother's side and roping it into a small bamboo cage in which it cannot move except to breathe. Of course the elephant fights for its freedom and is beaten, poked with sharp bamboo, starved, dehydrated, and sleep-deprived until it submits to its captors' demands. The process may take a week, depending on how long it takes to 'crush' the elephant's spirit. About 50% of the babies die from the process and the survivors are left with physical and emotional scars for the rest of their lives.
The demand for elephant paintings comes mostly from Japan, Europe, and the US, and the motivation from the Thai people is purely financial since a single painting can fetch several thousand dollars. I honestly hope that if people knew the true process for creating a picture, they would not offer any support at all for it. So PLEASE tell your friends, family, anyone who will listen: DO NOT SUPPORT ELEPHANT PAINTINGS IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM!