The Super Lambanana….love it or hate it? Has fast become one of Liverpool’s most famous symbols of the city and a iconic part of the Liverpool landscape and culture. The Super Lamb Banana is the work of Japanese artist Taro Chiezo, the sculpture was commissioned in 1998 to warn of the dangers of genetic engineering, it is humorous and iconic by simply putting a Banana up the backside of a Lamb!
As a public art piece the Super Lambanana got the people of Liverpool and visitors, talking about what art is and how they view it in there day to day lives and more importantly the cost to the city of Liverpool, rather than debating on the pro’s and con’s of genetic engineering, it was more about what a freak it is! So maybe in another way its job done!
How you view art is your choice, it’s personal opinion and personal taste. It is better to have an opinion and a choice than none at all, I think this is what public art does best, by placing art outside of the normal gallery context it introduces art to a new audience who may never venture into a gallery. In the same way that the graffiti movement has given a voice to the inner city’s.
Go Superlambananas! is a public art project set up for Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture celebrations! 125 two metre replicas of the Superlambanana have been painted and decorated by local artists, businesses and community groups. As a result of the competition they have now been placed in and around the city of Liverpool and can be found by a Trail map until August 25th.
The idea is a offspring of CowParade which Liverpool’s favourite neighbours Manchester hosted in 2004 and a whole host of similar projects have now popped up, such as the Go Elephants in Norwich! Makes you wonder how long it will be before we see Go Tesco! or how long this idea will be touted council to council making someone very rich! As more and more councils, large corporate companys and brands see the benefit of promoting themselves through public art competitions, there are both positives and negative effects! Yes it legally introduces and promotes art to the public, but how long before we demand FREE public art spaces for artists!
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August 25, 2008 at 2:05 pm
[...] A blog entry about the Superlambananas facts and other similar projects [...]