Painted elephant washed clean

LOS ANGELES – An elephant that was elaborately spray-painted for an art exhibit by British artist Banksy was washed by order of the city’s Department of Animal Services after animal activists objected.

The 38-year-old female elephant, named Tai, was given a nontoxic paint job for last week’s opening of an exhibit titled, “Barely Legal.” The elephant was painted in the same red-and-gold pattern as the exhibit’s walls and placed in a living room that included furniture.

Cards handed out at the opening, which included guests such as Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, read: “There’s an elephant in the room. There’s a problem we never talk about.” The statement went on to say that many people live below the poverty line.

Ed Boks, head of the city’s Animal Services Department, ordered the elephant to be completely scrubbed down to bare skin and that a child-safe face paint be used.

“The paint they had been using, although nontoxic, according to government regulations was unsafe and even illegal to use the way they had been using it,” Boks said.

On Sunday, Tai was placed unpainted in the living room exhibit.