Location: Maidstone Museum, 2021. #DerbyRamTrail
2020 was the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb. Mummyphant is inspired by the famous Egyptian Mummy and also the idea of discovery inspired by the dinosaur at Maidstone Museum. ‘Mummyphant’ also pays tribute to the famous ‘Ta-Kush’ mummy in Maidstone Museum.
Heart of Kent Hospice, along with its Official Partners and Sponsors, are excited that Elmer’s Big Heart of Kent Parade has arrived in Maidstone.
Elmer and his friends marched onto the streets of Maidstone to form the first-ever public art trail in the County town, running for nine weeks until Sunday 22 August.
With a blaze of colour and creativity, Elmer and his friends bring a ton of fun and laughter to our local area. After what has been a difficult year for everyone, this Parade is a chance for the whole community to come together to recover, heal and have some fun! This free outdoor walking trail will provide a much-needed boost to everyone’s wellbeing and the local economy.
The process
I had a lot of fun working on this tactile sculpture! #Mummyphant has been wrapped in 27 metres of medical grade plaster bandages (a very messy process) and stained in coffee. I used acrylic paint to create texture and shadow. The mummy within is painted in a rich gold with hieroglyphics to create the ‘aged’ effect. I purposely left areas ‘unwrapped’ to show the mummy inside.
“Standing on the balcony area in Fremlin Walk, overlooking Maidstone Museum, paying tribute to the famous ‘Ta-Kush’ mummy which can be seen in the Museum."
"I was amazed to learn about Ta-Kush the mummy, Daughter of Osiris in Maidstone Museum’s Egyptian collection. This inspired the design for my Elmer and why I decided to draw her famous siblings, Horus and Anubis on the sides of Mummyphant. I have loved seeing families interact with the Elmer and I hope it inspires them to learn a bit more about the 2,700 year old mummy." -MrASingh
The reaction from the public
#Mummyphant Elmer was loved by the public with many taking photos with the sculpture and shared across social media. A few of my favourites below.
The final sculpture
The Parade of beautifully designed Elmer sculptures will form three suggested walks totalling around six miles. The trail will reflect the town’s history, economic heart and areas of natural beauty. You can do the trail your way – you might want to dip in and out of areas over the nine weeks, spend a weekend completing the trail, or if you are feeling energetic, do it all in a day!
Information
Name: Mummyphant
Location: On the balcony area in Fremlin Walk, overlooking Maidstone Museum
Client: Maidstone Borough Council
Materials: Fiberglass sculpture. Covered in over 40 meters of medical bandages, stained in coffee, acrylic paint, gold paint and coloured posca pens.
Charity: Heart of Kent Hospice
Related hashtags: #elmermaidstone #mummyphant
Sold at auction
