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CowParade
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
CowParade is an international public art exhibit that has been featured in major cities all over the world. 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 exhibiton 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 3 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 worldwide in the CowParade events.
The concept of "cow parade" was created in Zürich, Switzerland, in 1998[1] by artistic director Walter Knapp. It started its international fame when Chicago businessman Peter Hanig organized the event in Chicago in 1999. A Swiss company started to exploit this promotional idea, CowHolding Parade AG. The American company that exploits this idea, CowHolding Parade, was founded in 1999; the Swiss company promptly sued.
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Miniature figurines of the CowParade cows have become a popular collectible. [1]
The success of CowParade inspired many other animal-themed public art projects, most notably the "Trail of the Painted Ponies" of Santa Fe, New Mexico (which also inspired a series of miniatures) [2].
Other cities that have hosted similar fundraisers include:
- Boyertown, Pennsylvania, "Bear Fever" [3]
- Bradenton, Florida "GECKOFest 2006" (2006)
- Bucks County, Pennsylvania, "Miles of Mules" [4]
- Eugene, Oregon, "Ducks on Parade" [5]
- Louisville, Kentucky, "Gallopalooza" (horses) [6]
- Miami, Florida "Rooster Walk" (2003)
- New Orleans, Louisiana, "Festival of Fins" [7]
- Pensacola, Florida, "Pelicans in Paradise" [8]
- Pittsburgh, USA "DINO-mite Days" (2000), Dinosaurs [9]
- Providence, Rhode Island (2000) Mr Potato Head
- Salem, Oregon, "Salmon in the City" (2005) [10]
- San Francisco, California, "Hearts in San Francisco" [11]
- Seattle, Washington, "Pigs on Parade" (2001) [12]; Ponies on Parade (2005); and "Nutcracker Parade" (2006)
- Saint Paul, Minnesota (2005) Snoopies
- Tucson, Arizona, "Ponies del Pueblo" [13]
- Washington D.C., "Party Animals", a display of donkeys and elephants, [14] and "PandaMania" [15]
Some aspects of CowParade makes one wonder whether it is a big international art event or a commercial and advertising event.CowParade Art or Advertisement.
The piece of one invited artist, David Lynch, was not accepted. Lynch said he was disappointed to be excluded. "Don't you think when people tell you you're allowed to do whatever you want as long as it's not sexually X-rated that they should stand behind their word and show your cow." [16]
A Swedish Organisation called The Militant Graffiti Artists of Stockholm has kidnapped and decapitated one of the cows of the Stockholm event as a protest. They say: "The cows are Not Art. That these cows are presented as Public Art is the biggest fraud. Advertisements can never be art. [17]
