CowParade

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Cow "Human Touch", CowParade Warsaw 2005
Cow "Human Touch", CowParade Warsaw 2005

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 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 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" 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"). It started its international fame when Chicago businessman Peter Hanig, along with Commissioner of Cultural Affairs Lois Weisberg, 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. A bronze casting is on permanent display in Chicago.

The success of this venture 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 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. The idea has grasped onto more cities choosing different animals for public art projects with painted fiberglas sculptures (see Similar projects) - Zürich itself has adapted the bear theme in the "Teddy-Summer" in 2005.[2]


Contents

[edit] Gallery

[edit] CowParade cities

The Americas

Europe

Africa/Asia/Australia

Miniature figurines of the CowParade cows have become a popular collectible. [1]

[edit] Similar projects

Major cities with decorated fibreglass sculptures:

The Americas

Europe

Middle East

[edit] Criticism

CowParade has also been criticized (by contributing artists) for their selectivity standards. [3]

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. [4] In Belo Horizonte, Brasil there also were cases of cows being mere advertisements instead of artistic creations.[5]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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