After visiting the Anthropology Museum last week, I walked down the Paseo de la Reforma. I discovered that a public art display, known as the "Cow Parade", is being exhibited along a mile-long stretch of the famous boulevard. The exhibit features more than fifty, life-size, fiberglass sculptures of cows, each one painted by local and international artists. This curious event began in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1998 and has spread to numerous cities around the world. This is the fourth time that the "Cow Parade" has been held in Mexico City. I saw it once before (and I may have posted a few photos on the blog), but I did not walk along the boulevard to see all of the sculptures. This time I did.
The event in Mexico City is sponsored by Lala, a major dairy company here. At the end of the exhibit, the "cows" are put up for auction, and the proceeds are donated to charity.
Love it!
ReplyDeleteI first saw Cows on Parade when working in downtown Chicago in 1999. Some of the cows were located in interesting places, such as the 15th-story roof overhang of an office building along the Chicago River.
I visited Salzburg in 2000, and there they were again.
I saw them a third time in Denver, in 2012.
I love that the artwork for the cows is often (always?) localized to reflect the city or country the cows are displayed in.
Hardly the same, but your pictures remind me of the colorful Mexicraneos I saw last year at Parque Bicentenario.
-Scott
I did not realize that this is an event held in cities all over the world, until I did some research.
DeleteI have to wonder whether or not the idea for the Mexicraneos came from the Cows on Parade. Same concept... fiberglass figures painted by local artists.