ALBANY CITY INVADED BY WHITE ELEPHANTS

A Statement from the White Elephant Brigade

The White Elephant Brigade takes full responsibility for the profusion of White Elephants that appeared in and around the Albany CBD on the morning of April 1, 2011.

A spokesperson for the brigade said: “This group distributed the artistically and culturally sensitive elephants to a range of locations.”

“On the said night a brakeage did occur at a location containing items of high cultural value, namely the city library. The Brigade condemns such action and if the perpetrator became known to this group this group would inform the appropriate local authorities.

“The White Elephant Brigade is a loose group of intelligent artists and professionals intent on undertaking action for non-specific purposes but always with the aim of stimulating, causing questions and not to damage, deface, or in any way alter public facilities or facilities commonly accepted as party to a public issue.

“It is not the intention of Brigade members to inform the receiver of the visual installation what the installation means. This is insulting, demeaning and culturally offensive in a vibrant democratic society and against the articles of the Brigade.”

The Brigade spokesperson said viewers of the white elephants might want to ask themselves the following questions:

Are the elephants of a high visual quality?

Is there any evidence to suggest they relate to the Albany Entertainment Centre?

Are they in response to the content of an ABC Stateline program broadcast on Friday March 25, 2011?

Does the white elephant relate to a “rare, expensive possession that is a financial burden to maintain”, or rather, a “rare exotic creature that is endangered and must be preserved at all cost”?

Does the specific date April 1 have any history, any meaning and could it have influenced the elephant distribution?

The White Elephant Brigade (WEB) wants to make it quite clear that it is in no way associated with the Urban Sock Bombers Collective (USB).

A spokesperson for the Brigade said: “Some of our group had been members of the USB but left on consideration that the USB lacked strong leadership and had lost its way in the mire of urban politics.”