Tender Armour – LUAP X Elephant Family
LUAP’s Pink Bear takes on a new form in Tender Armour, a sculptural egg created for Elephant Family’s 20th anniversary. Exhibited at Battersea and later at Kew Gardens, the piece is seen by Their Majesties The King and Queen at the charity’s grand finale event.
In spring 2025, LUAP is invited to create a sculptural egg for The Big Egg Hunt, celebrating 20 years of the environmental charity Elephant Family. The event features over 120 artist-designed eggs displayed across iconic London locations, culminating in Wonders of the Wild, an evening celebration at Kew Gardens.
LUAP’s piece, titled Tender Armour, is unlike anything else in the trail. Rather than paint, the surface is covered in soft pink faux fur — echoing the materiality of the original Pink Bear costume and extending LUAP’s language of texture, tactility and emotional resonance. Cradling the shape of the egg, the Bear appears vulnerable yet protective, playful yet weighted with meaning.
First exhibited at Battersea Power Station, the sculpture stands out for its surreal charm and unexpected softness. At a distance, it appears almost humorous. Up close, it holds stillness — a self-contained world of care and contradiction.
The title, Tender Armour, speaks to the emotional complexity at the heart of LUAP’s practice. The Pink Bear has always carried layers of symbolic weight: a childhood figure reborn through therapy, transformed into a companion for those navigating internal struggle. In this context, it wraps the egg not just in fur, but in feeling — a quiet kind of protection.
Later, the egg is displayed at Kew Gardens during Wonders of the Wild, the grand finale of the campaign. The event is attended by Their Majesties The King and Queen, joint Presidents of Elephant Family. LUAP joins fellow artists and conservation leaders as the royal couple tour the artworks on display.
“Whatever we take and exploit from nature, we need to give something back in return.”
Standing among the work at Kew, LUAP reflects on the journey of the piece and the values behind it — environmental awareness, emotional depth, and the ability of art to connect across audiences and generations.
“The environment and conservation mean so much to me personally, and I’m incredibly proud to have contributed to a project that uses the power of art to inspire awareness and action. It was a profound moment to stand among so many incredible artists and supporters. Having the piece viewed by Their Majesties was something I’ll never forget.” LUAP
The Big Egg Hunt raises over £720,000 for Elephant Family’s work protecting endangered Asian wildlife and supporting community conservation projects. For LUAP, the experience of seeing his work in this setting — surrounded by nature, fellow artists and members of the public — is both grounding and surreal.