The Embers (2025)
Tanya Aritao
oil on canvas
107 x 111 cm
In the Fold (2025)
Tanya Aritao
oil on canvas
110 x 110 cm
Resonance (2026)
Tanya Aritao
oil on canvas
112 x 102 cm
About the Paintings
Inspired by South African elephants, this trio of paintings explores connection, community and the idea of chosen belonging within and beyond the herd.
It begins with The Embers, a solitary figure shaped by the memory of a mother elephant encountered in 2024, reflecting the enduring presence of bonds even in absence. In the Fold turns to the closeness of the herd itself, where overlapping forms speak to intimacy, kinship and the comfort of being held within a collective. Resonance brings this exploration into direct relationship, depicting two elephants facing one another in quiet, joyful recognition — a mirrored exchange that reflects affection, trust and presence.
Together, the works consider family as both inheritance and choice, and the emotional and ecological systems that sustain connection across the natural world.
Studio Behind the Scenes
Leave a note for the artist and receive a private link to view a behind the scenes video of how ‘In the Fold’ was created.
Acquire the Art
The three large-scale works (100cm+) are available for acquisition at £10,000 each, presented in their existing frames and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity, exclusive of delivery.
For a limited time, 50% of proceeds will be directed toward conservation and humanitarian initiatives.
There is also an opportunity to support a wider exhibition of the collection, bringing together the three presented works and the broader series across cultural, institutional and environmental contexts.
More about The Elephant Collection
Tanya Aritao’s The Elephant Collection is a series of more than eight original oil paintings, exploring the emotional and ecological presence of elephants as a lens through which to consider climate, conservation, and interconnected systems of life.
All the works in the collection were completed in 2025 and 2026, and most have not been publicly released or exhibited. The first three of the collection are currently exhibited at the Earthshot Prize and Koba in Aldgate East, London.
About the Artist
Tanya Aritao is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans oil painting, printmaking, collage, choreography, and poetry. Her work explores themes of presence, rhythm, memory, and fragility through subjects like landscapes, wildlife, and human figures in motion.
Elephants are a long time subject of Tanya’s art. Aside from being beautiful, majestic creatures, she is fascinated by their culture and spirit.
Tanya is the Head of Portfolio Development at the Earthshot Prize. Over the last three years of collaborating with global climate leaders, her own relationship with nature has deepened. This work has helped shape the themes of preservation, harmony and coexistence in her creative practice today.
Tanya studied art at the United World College Costa Rica and at Wheaton College Massachusetts, and she has an MBA from the University of Oxford. She grew up in the Philippines and lives in London.
Subscribe to the artist’s newsletter: Ink & Indigo
In this post the artist shares a peek into her studio and the early process behind creating In the Fold:
TANYA ARITAO 