CowParade

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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]

1 Gallery
2 CowParade cities
3 Similar projects
4 Criticism
5 See also
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Gallery

A parody of The Three Graces called "The Three Grazers"; designed by Nial Smith for the Edinburgh CowParade, 2006.	Wisconsin Winter, From the Madison WI cow parade.	Cowrioca, at Christ the Redeemer, Rio de Janeiro.	"Pasture Bedtime" was decorated with wrist watches.
Post exhibition bronze casting in Chicago outside the Chicago Cultural Center	Alternate sides of University of Chicago Law School holding	Alternate sides of University of Chicago Law School holding	A folkloric cow from Costa Rica`s cow parade, 2008
A cow at popular Revolucion Avenue, from Tijuana CowParade 2008.	El chico de la banca (the guy in the bench) cow, at CECUT, from Tijuana CowParade 2008.	Vacalero cow, in Paseo de los Heroes, from Tijuana CowParade 2008.

[edit] CowParade cities

The Americas

Chicago, Illinois, USA (1999)
New York, New York, USA (2000)
Stamford, Connecticut, USA (2000)
West Orange, New Jersey, USA (2000)
Houston, Texas, USA (2001)
Kansas City, Missouri, USA (2001)
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA (2002)
San Antonio, Texas, USA (2002)
West Hartford, Connecticut, USA (2003)(2007)
Atlanta, Georgia, USA (2003)

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA (2004)
Portland, Oregon, USA (2005)
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico (2006)
Mexico City, Mexico (2006)
Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico (2006)
Buenos Aires, Argentina (2006)
Madison, Wisconsin, USA (2006)
Boston, Massachusetts, USA (2006)
Denver, Colorado, USA (2006)
Belo Horizonte, Brazil (2006)

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

Austin, Texas, "GuitarTown" (2007) [2]
Baltimore, Maryland, "Crabtown Project" (2005) [3]
Bennington, Vermont, "Moosefest" (2005) [4]
Boyertown, Pennsylvania, "Bear Fever" [5]
Bradenton, Florida, "GECKOFest" (2006)
Bucks County, Pennsylvania, "Miles of Mules" [6]
Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, "AbZOOlutely Chestnut Hill" (2006) [7]
Cincinnati, Ohio, "Big Pig Gig"
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, "Bison" (2005)
Erie, Pennsylvania, "GoFish!" (2000), "LeapFrog" (2004)
Eugene, Oregon, "Ducks on Parade" [8]
Glendale, Ohio, Black Squirrels
Halifax, Nova Scotia, "Lobsters" (2005)
Louisville, Kentucky, "Gallopalooza" [9]
Miami, Florida, "Rooster Walk" (2003)
Naperville, Illinois, United Way hosts an annual exhibit (2001-2007) [10]
New Orleans, Louisiana, "Festival of Fins" [11]
Pensacola, Florida, "Pelicans in Paradise" [12]
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, "DINO-mite Days" (2000) [13]
Providence, Rhode Island, Mr Potato Head (2000)
Salem, Oregon, "Salmon in the City" (2005) [14]
San Francisco, California, "Hearts in San Francisco" [15]
Santa Fe, New Mexico, "Trail of the Painted Ponies" [16].
Saratoga Springs, New York, "Horses, Saratoga Style" (2002, 2007) [17]
Seattle, Washington, "Pigs on Parade" (2001) [18]; Ponies on Parade (2005); "Nutcracker Parade" (2006)
Saint Paul, Minnesota "Snoopies" (2005)
Toronto, Ontario, "Moose in the City" (2000)
Tucson, Arizona, "Ponies del Pueblo" [19]
Washington D.C., "Party Animals" [20]; "PandaMania" [21]
Willimantic, Connecticut, "FrogFest" [22]

Europe

Berlin, "Buddy Bears in the city", 2001 and 2002, "United Buddy Bears", 2003 and since 2004 worldwide
Dortmund, "Dortmunder Nashorn" (120 rhinozeros), 2005, expanded for 2006 FIFA World Cup
Hamburg, "Hans Hummel", (100 Hans Hummel), 2003
Hannover, "Elefanten-Parade" (45 elefants), 2004
Kaiserslautern, "Fishing for Phantasy" (250 fishes), 2001
Munich, "Löwenparade" (500 lions), 2004
Wuppertal, "Pinguinale" (200 penguins), 2006
Zurich, "Teddy-Summer" (630 teddy-bears), 2005

Middle East

Bat Yam "Masks", 2006-2007
Jerusalem, "Lions of Jerusalem"
Tel Aviv, "Shvarim VeShe'arim" (Bulls and Exchange Rates)
Tel Aviv, "A Gateway to the World", 2007

[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]