The Cow Parade: For Art, For Charity, For Fun (The Art Review, Aug 2006)

Article published in "The Art Review", July 2006

"Art is about breaking down barriers. It gets people to feel, to think, to react. So when you come across life-sized cow sculptures that have been covered in mirrors or gumdrops, cows that have been painted with elaborate themes or transformed into something else entirely, you can’t help but stop and think about what it means. All your preconceived ideas go out the window. Suddenly people see that art can be fun and that art can be interesting to everyone, not just people who frequent museums."

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The Cow Parade , the world’s largest public art event. From Chicago and New York in 1999 and 2000 to Greece in 2006, CowParade continues to evolve, not just in size, but in creativity and quality of art. While the cow sculptures remain the same, each city’s artists are challenged by the art from past events, inspired by the cultural influences of their respective cities, and moved by their own interpretation of the cow as an art object.

The Beach Experience

The deep calls my name, its’ hum,

That of the waves … repetitive,

That of snake charmers … hypnotizing.

***

Glistening diamond rays of light,

Dance joyfully along the horizon,

Beckoning with a playful wink.

***

Retracting sands under foot,

Whispers a cautious warning,

“Don’t follow the rhythm”.

***

Whilst flirty summer breeze,

Teases curls of hair to life,

Fashioning chaos, a blissful sight.

***

Sea froth come forth to sponge away

Messages of love, hurt and dreams

Scribbled hastily on shifting sands

***

The sun disk beyond keeps watch,

Tracing figures over yearning skin,

Tinting it with adoring warmth.

***

Plunging thy soul into the sea,

Immersed in its eternal vastness,

Can’t fight enchantment.
***

© Sherine Meshad, 22 Aug 2006