Inspired by The Elephant and the Tiger by Bjørn Okholm Skaarup.

Saint Barth has become a symbol of luxury, success, and exclusivity. Yet behind these visible achievements lies a more fundamental human search: the search for balance.

Inspired by Skaarup's Carnival of the Animals and by the poetic spirit of Camille Saint-Saëns' musical masterpiece, this diptych explores strength expressed through grace rather than domination. The elephant, balancing on a sphere, embodies power tempered by vulnerability and self-mastery. The tiger, a symbol of ambition and prestige, appears disarmed—not by force, but by the elephant's composure and inner balance.

The work suggests that while wealth and success may attract attention, wisdom, humility, and harmony inspire something deeper: respect. In a world that often celebrates what we possess, the elephant and the tiger invite us to reflect on what we have become.

By Carole Schoettel