CowParade
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CowParade is an international public art exhibit that has been featured in major world cities. Fiberglass sculptures of cows are decorated by local artists, and distributed over the city centre, in public places such as train stations, important avenues, and parks. They often feature artwork and designs specific to local culture, as well as city life and other relevant themes. After the exhibition in the city, which lasts many months, the cows are auctioned off and the proceeds donated to charity.
There are a few variations of shape, but the three most common shapes of cow were created by Pascal Knapp, a Swiss-born sculptor who was commissioned to create the cows specifically for the CowParade series of events. Pascal Knapp owns the copyrights to the standing, lying and grazing cow shapes used in the CowParade events.
The concept of "cow parade" has its origins in Zürich, Switzerland, in 1998[1] by artistic director Walter Knapp, it is based on an idea which was realised in the same city for the first time in 1986: Lions as the symbol of Zurich were painted and then on display throughout the city.
The Zürich exhibit 1998 was not called "cow parade" - it was called "Land in Sicht" (roughly "Countryside in view"). The concept was brought to the United States when Chicago businessman Peter Hanig, along with Commissioner of Cultural Affairs Lois Weisberg, organized an event in Chicago in 1999. A Swiss company started to explore the idea, CowHolding Parade AG. The American company that explored this idea, CowHolding Parade, was founded in 1999; the Swiss company promptly sued. A bronze casting is on permanent display in Chicago.
The success of this venture inspired many other cities to host similar fundraising projects. The idea has been taken up by other cities which have chosen animals for public art projects with painted fiberglass sculptures (see Similar projects).
Gallery
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A parody of The Three Graces called "The Three Grazers"; designed by Nial Smith for the Edinburgh CowParade, 2006.
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Wisconsin Winter, From the Madison WI cow parade.
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Cowrioca, at Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro.
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"Pasture Bedtime" was decorated with wrist watches.
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Post exhibition bronze casting in Chicago outside the Chicago Cultural Center -
Alternate sides of University of Chicago Law School holding
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Alternate sides of University of Chicago Law School holding
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"Vaca Fileteada" from Buenos Aires`s cow parade, 2006 -
A folkloric cow from Costa Rica`s cow parade, 2008
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A cow at popular Revolucion Avenue, from Tijuana CowParade 2008. -
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Vacalero cow, in Paseo de los Heroes, from Tijuana CowParade 2008. -
Got Art? cow in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, from Harrisburg CowParade 2004.
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Cownexions: Cow parade de Bordeaux 2010, Designed by Bruno Michaud.
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CowParade cities
Africa
- Johannesburg, South Africa (2004/5)
- Cape Town, South Africa (2004/5)
- Durban, South Africa (2004/5)
- Tunis, Tunisia (2010)
Asia
- Hong Kong, China (2009)
- Taipei, Taiwan (2009)
- Tokyo, Japan (2006, 2008)
- Xiamen, China (2010)
Europe
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North America
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Oceania
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South America
- Buenos Aires, Argentina (2006)
- Belo Horizonte, Brazil (2006)
- São Paulo, Brazil (2006)(2010)
- Curitiba, Brazil (2006)
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2007)
- Lima, Perú (2009)
- Porto Alegre, Brazil (2010)
Similar projects
The phenomenon of CowParade has spawned copy-cat statue decorating projects in a number of cities worldwide.[3] The success of these ventures inspired many other cities to host similar fundraising projects. The theme was adapted in Berlin to the town mascot; however the entailing United Buddy Bears exhibitions are very different from all other urban events. The bears were created by the German artists Klaus and Eva Herlitz. The idea and the philosophy behind the United Buddy Bears exhibitions are unique: with its international approach and its symbolism, this synthesis of the arts globally promotes tolerance, international understanding and a peaceful coexistence.
Zürich itself has adapted the bear theme in the "Teddy-Summer" in 2005.[4]
Asia
- Bat Yam "Masks", 2006-2007
- Jerusalem, "Lions of Jerusalem", 2002
- Tel Aviv, "Shvarim VeShe'arim" 2005, the Israeli stock market bull parade
- Tel Aviv, "A Gateway to the World", 2007
- Dubai, "Camel Caravan", 2003
Europe
- Bath, "King Bladud's Pigs" (104 pigs), 2008 [2]
- Berlin, "Buddy Bears in the city", 2001 and 2002, "United Buddy Bears", 2003 and since 2004 worldwide
- Chester "Rhino Mania" (62 rhinos), 2010
- Dortmund, "Dortmunder Nashorn" (120 rhinos), 2005, expanded for 2006 FIFA World Cup
- Hamburg, "Hans Hummel", (100 Hans Hummel), 2003
- Hannover, "Elefanten-Parade" (45 elephants), 2004
- Kaiserslautern, "Fishing for Phantasy" (250 fish), 2001
- Leipzig, "LeOLips" (100 lions), 2002[5]
- Liverpool, "Super Lamb Bananas" (125 Super Lamb Bananas), 2008; "Go Penguins" (142 penguins), 2009
- Northampton, "Pride of Northampton", 2010 [3]
- Norwich, "Go Elephants" (54 baby elephants), 2008 [4]
- Munich, "Löwenparade" (500 lions), 2004
- Wuppertal, "Pinguinale" (200 penguins), 2006
- Zürich, "Teddy-Summer" (630 teddy-bears), 2005
- Versmold, "Bunte Borstenviecher" (120 pigs), 2007 [5]
- Istanbul, "Shoe Art" (500 shoes), September 2008
- Neustadt an der Aisch, "Aischgruender Karpfen" (120 carp), September 2008 [6]
North America
- Anchorage, Alaska, "Wild Salmon on Parade" (2005) [7]
- Austin, Texas, "GuitarTown" (2007) [8]
- Baltimore, Maryland, "Crabtown Project" (2005) [9]
- Bennington, Vermont, "Moosefest" (2005) [10]
- Blacksburg, Virginia, "Gobble de Art" (2006) [11]
- Boyertown, Pennsylvania, "Bear Fever" [12]
- Bradenton, Florida, "GECKOFest" (2006)
- Bucks County, Pennsylvania (Scranton), "Miles of Mules" [13]
- Buffalo, New York, "Herd About Buffalo"
- Cadiz, Kentucky, "Meet the Pigs of Cadiz, Kentucky" [14]
- Calgary, Alberta, with lifesize cow statues, as a nod to the cattle industry in Alberta
- Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, "AbZOOlutely Chestnut Hill" (2006) [15]
- Cincinnati, Ohio, "Big Pig Gig"
- Crystal City, Virginia, "Crystal Flight" (2008) [16]
- Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, "Bison" (2005)
- Erie, Pennsylvania, "GoFish!" (2000), "LeapFrog" (2004)
- Eugene, Oregon, "Ducks on Parade" [17]
- Glendale, Ohio, Black Squirrels
- Halifax, Nova Scotia, "Lobsters" (2005)
- Iowa City, Iowa, "Herky on Parade" (2004) [18]
- Jacksonville, Florida, "The Manatees of Jacksonville" (2005) [19]
- Lexington, North Carolina, "Pigs in the City"
- Louisville, Kentucky, "Gallopalooza" [20]
- Miami, Florida, "Rooster Walk" (2003)
- Naperville, Illinois, United Way hosts an annual exhibit (2001-2007) [21]
- New Braunfels, Texas,"Stein Parade" (2006)[22]
- New York, New York, "MLB Statues On Parade" [23] (June-July 2008)
- New Orleans, Louisiana, "Festival of Fins" [24]
- Norfolk, Virginia, "Mermaids on Parade," http://www.mermaidsonparade.com/
- Oxford, Maryland, "Take a Tour of Oxford's Picket Fences" [25] (2009)
- Park Ridge, Illinois, "Promise of Park Ridge" (2008) [26]
- Pensacola, Florida, "Pelicans in Paradise" [27]
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, "Phanatic Around Town Project" (2010) [28]
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, "DINO-mite Days" (2000) [29]
- Providence, Rhode Island, Mr Potato Head (2000)
- Richmond, Virginia, "Go Fish!" (2001)
- Rochester, New York, "Horses on Parade" (2001) [30]
- Salem, Oregon, "Salmon in the City" (2005) [31]
- Saint Paul, Minnesota "Snoopies" (2005)
- San Francisco, California, "Hearts in San Francisco" [32]
- San Jose, California, "SharkByte" (2001)
- Santa Fe, New Mexico, "Trail of the Painted Ponies" [33].
- Santa Rosa, California, "Peanuts on Parade" (2005, 2006, 2007) [34]
- Saratoga Springs, New York, "Horses, Saratoga Style" (2002, 2007) [35]
- Seattle, Washington, "Pigs on Parade" (2001, 2007) [36]; Ponies on Parade (2005); "Nutcracker Parade" (2006)
- Sedona, Arizona, "Javalinas on Parade" (2006) [37] [38]
- Toronto, Ontario, "Moose in the City" (2000)
- Tucson, Arizona, "Ponies del Pueblo" [39]
- Vancouver, British Columbia, "Orcas in the City" (2003-2004); "Spirit Bears in the City" (2005-2006)
- Victoria, British Columbia, "Spirit Bears in the City" (multiple cities) (2005-2006)
- Washington, D.C., "Party Animals" [40]; "PandaMania" [41]
- Willimantic, Connecticut, "FrogFest" [42]
Criticism
CowParade has been criticized by contributing artists for their selectivity standards. [6]
A Swedish Organization called The Militant Graffiti Artists of Stockholm has kidnapped and decapitated one of the cows of the Stockholm event in protest of the publicly provisioned cows carrying advertisements. [7]
See also
- United Buddy Bears
- Cool Globes: Hot Ideas for a Cooler Planet
- Gladys the Swiss Dairy Cow
- Concrete Cows
- Charging Bull
- Bund Bull
References
- ^ Geneva Cow Parade
- ^ * Bilbao, "Vacas en Bilbao", 2001 (175 cows) [1]
- ^ Im-moo-tators of the cow parade idea
- ^ "Erfolgreicher Abschluss der Aktion". Edith Strub, Committee President of «Teddy-Summer Zürich 2005», vv, 2005
- ^ LeOLips
- ^ Eat My Fear - David Lynch's rejected submission for the New York Cow Parade in 2000
- ^ The Militant Graffiti Artists of Stockholm - Kidnapping and decapitating of fiber-glass cow, (2004)
External links
- The official (US) Cowparade website
- CowParade Rio de Janeiro 2007 - pictures
- Cow Parade Europe
- Edinburgh Cow Parade 2006
- Paris Cow Parade 2006
- Milan Cow Parade 2007
- Manchester 2004 Cow Parade
- Pascal Knapp
- Cowparade Belgium
- Cow Parade Admirors (Spanish)
- Pigs in Versmold (Germany)
- Carps in Neustadt an der Aisch (Germany)