CowParade

International public art exhibit


title: "CowParade" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["sculptures-of-cattle", "outdoor-sculptures", "painted-statue-public-art", "sculpture-exhibitions", "outdoor-sculptures-in-argentina", "animal-sculptures-in-mexico", "outdoor-sculptures-in-peru", "animal-sculptures-in-scotland", "animal-sculptures-in-spain", "animal-sculptures-in-the-united-states", "sculptures-in-latvia", "animal-sculptures-in-the-czech-republic", "animal-sculptures-in-england", "animal-sculptures-in-france", "outdoor-sculptures-in-brazil", "outdoor-sculptures-in-australia", "animal-sculptures-in-canada"] description: "International public art exhibit" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CowParade" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary International public art exhibit ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/20070530_Bronze_cow_cast.JPG" caption="Bronze casting commemorating Chicago's 1999 exhibition"] ::

CowParade is an international public art exhibit that has 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 may last many months, the statues 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.

History

The concept of "cow parade" has its origins in Zürich, Switzerland, in 1998 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 ("Land ho"). 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 called Cows on Parade. A Swiss company, CowHolding Parade AG, started to explore the idea. The American company capitalizing on this idea, CowHolding Parade, was founded in 1999; the Swiss company promptly sued but the case fizzled out without results. A bronze casting of one of the cows is on permanent display in Chicago in commemoration of the city's initial exhibition.

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 (e.g. Liverpool) (see Similar projects).

Cows

File:Mi_Buenos_Aires_Querido.jpg|Vaca Fileteada from Buenos Aires`s cow parade, 2006 File:TIJ cowparade.jpg|A cow at Revolucion Avenue, from Tijuana CowParade 2008 File:Cow parade TIJ 4.jpg|El chico de la banca (the guy on the bench) cow, at CECUT, from Tijuana CowParade 2008 File:Cow parade TIJ 7.jpg|Vacalero cow, in Paseo de los Heroes, from Tijuana CowParade 2008. File:Doublecow.jpg|Double-cow in Lima (Peru), 2010 File:Moules on the Waterfront - geograph.org.uk - 173153.jpg|2006 Edinburgh Cow Parade, Moules on the Waterfront File:Vaca CowParade Madrid.jpg|Cow from CowParade in Madrid, 2009.

Some CowParade cities

Similar projects

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/TelAviv2007Globes_(22).JPG" caption="Globe in Tel Aviv, ''A Gateway to the World'', 2007"] ::

The phenomenon of CowParade has spawned copy-cat statue decorating projects in a number of cities worldwide.

Zürich itself has adapted the bear theme in the "Teddy-Summer" in 2005.

Elephant Parades

Main article: Elephant Parade

Elephant Parade is dedicated to saving the Asian elephant from extinction with auctioned off proceeds going to the Elephant Family organisation.

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LocationNameExhibitsDate
CopenhagenElephant Parade102 baby elephants
HasseltElephant Parade2012
HeerlenElephant Parade2011
LondonElephant Parade2010
SingaporeElephant Paradeurl=https://www.elephantparade.com/parades
::

Buddy Bears

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Buddybear_Athen.jpg" caption="Two Buddy Bears at [[Kurfürstendamm]] 21, Berlin"] ::

Main article: Buddy Bear

This adopts the Cowparade idea to Berlin's 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.

::data[format=table]

LocationNameNumber of Buddy BearsDate
BerlinBuddy Bear Berlin Show3502001 and 2002
Berlin + since 2004 worldwideUnited Buddy Bears Worldtour1502002 and 2003, since 2004 worldwide
::

Wild in Art

Since 2008 Wild in Art has created sculpture trails since 2008 from Aberdeen to Cape Town including events associated with sporting events (2012 Olympics and 2014 Commonwealth Games).

::data[format=table]

LocationNameExhibitsDate
Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and InvernessOor Wullie's Big Bucket Trail60 WulliesJune 17, 2019, for 6 weeks
AberdeenWild Dolphins50 Dolphins
Ashford, KentSnowdogs Discover Ashford55 Snowdogs
Birminghamurl=http://thebighoot.co.uk/access-date=August 28, 2015title=The Big Hoot – Birminghams Biggest Art Event}}
BirminghamBig Sleuth100 sun bearsJuly 10 to September 17, 2017
BournemouthPride in Bournemouth50 lions2011
BristolGromit Unleashed80 Gromits
Cambridgeurl=https://cowsaboutcambridge.co.uk/faqs/title=Cows about Cambridge - Wild in Art : Wild in Art}}90 Red Poll cows
Chesterurl=https://www.wildinart.co.uk/wia-sculpture/rhino/title=Rhino}}url=http://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/microsites/chester_renaissance/a_changing_city/project_archive/rhino_mania.aspx
LiverpoolGo Penguins142 penguins2009
LiverpoolGo Superlambananas!125 *Superlambanana*s2008
London83 Wenlock and Mandeville mascotsurl=https://www.standard.co.uk/olympics/olympic-news/seizing-the-city-olympic-mascots-wenlock-and-mandeville-pop-up-around-london-7956127.html
LondonYear of the Bus Sculpture Trails41 buses2014
ManchesterBee in the CityOver 100 beesJuly 23 to September 23, 2018
NorwichGoGoDragons!url=http://gogodragons.co.uk/title=Welcome
::

Asia

Europe

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/bath_pigs_art_project_2008_arp.jpg" caption="Bath]]. This was a public art event, called "King [[Bladud]]'s Pigs in Bath". Pig sculptures were on display around the city through the summer of 2008."] ::

::data[format=table]

LocationNameExhibitsDate
's-HertogenboschGarden of Earthly Delights sculpture trailFigures taken from the Hieronymus Bosch work The Garden of Earthly Delights
BathKing Bladud's Pigs104 pigs
BathLions of Bath100 lions
BristolShaun in the CityShaun the Sheep visits Bristol in the summer 2015, after the spring 2015 visit to London. To coincide with Shaun the Sheep Movie.
BristolWow! Gorillas61 gorillas
ColchesterStand tall112 giraffes
Dortmund**120 winged rhinos2005, expanded for 2006 FIFA World Cup
Glasgowurl=http://peoplemakeglasgow.com/mascot-trail/index.htmlaccess-date=August 1, 2014title=Clyde's Mascot Trail
HamburgHans Hummel100 Hans Hummel2003
HannoverElefanten-Parade45 elephants2004'
IstanbulShoe Art500 shoes2008 September
HullLarkin with Toads40 toads2010
KaiserslauternFishing for Phantasy250 fish2001
LeipzigLeOLips100 lions2002
LondonWhat's in your DNA?url=http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/support-us/donate/francis-crick-institute/DNA-trail/sculpture-gallery#info_gallery_7access-date=August 2, 2015
LondonShaun in the City50 Shaun the Sheeps. Associated with a parade in Bristol in the summer 2015, and release of Shaun the Sheep MovieMarch 28 to May 25, 2015
LondonBudgie the Little Helicopter Comes to Town2021
LondonThe Big Egg Hunt2012
LondonThe Paddington Trail50 Paddington Bearsurl=http://www.paddington.com/gb/news/first-celebrities-announced-for-the-paddingtontrail/
LondonTusk Rhino Trail21 rhinosurl=https://www.tuskrhinotrail.com/
MunichLöwenparade500 lions2004
Neustadt an der AischAischgruender Karpfen120 carp2008 September
Newport South Wales, UKSuperDragons60 dragons2010
NorthamptonPride of Northampton2010
NorwichGo Elephants54 baby elephants2008
NorwichGoGoGorillas!53 gorillas2013
ParisPathé Roosters50 roosters2021
SheffieldHerd of Sheffield58 elephants2016
SouthamptonGo Rhinos!rhinos2013
VersmoldBunte Borstenviecher120 pigs2007
WellsSwans of Wells60 swans2012, to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II
WolverhamptonWolves in Wolves30 wolves5 July 5, 2017 - 24 September 2017
WuppertalPinguinale200 penguins2006
ZürichTeddy-Summer630 teddy-bears2005
::

North America

Criticism

CowParade has been criticized by contributing artists for their selectivity standards; David Lynch's cow with its flesh partially ripped off, and organs showing, was rejected. The explanation is that this particular CowParade cow was rejected by the City of New York, not the CowParade organisation.

References

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sculptures-of-cattleoutdoor-sculpturespainted-statue-public-artsculpture-exhibitionsoutdoor-sculptures-in-argentinaanimal-sculptures-in-mexicooutdoor-sculptures-in-peruanimal-sculptures-in-scotlandanimal-sculptures-in-spainanimal-sculptures-in-the-united-statessculptures-in-latviaanimal-sculptures-in-the-czech-republicanimal-sculptures-in-englandanimal-sculptures-in-franceoutdoor-sculptures-in-braziloutdoor-sculptures-in-australiaanimal-sculptures-in-canada