The Salt Lake Tribune
MATT CAMPBELL
October 15, 2000
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Puns were as thick as cow pies this week at
the American Royal as Kansas City got a preview of hundreds of
decorated fiberglass cows.
"It will be a true cow-munity event," Mayor Kay Barnes said as
supporters in Holstein-patterned cowboy hats rang cowbells.
There was talk of papier moo-che and cow-llages. An original
"Cowlvador Dali" also was unveiled.
So any doubt that Kansas City would, indeed, have its own parade
of public cow art next year -- trailed by a herd of puns -- was moo-
ved aside as the first three entries were introduced at a news
conference.
Organizers aim to adorn the metropolitan landscape with about 300
painted and decorated cows in a CowParade event that could raise
hundreds of thousands of dollars for local youth programs.
Previous CowParades have raised millions for charity in Chicago
and New York City.
"But we know that our artists in Kansas City are really going to
compete quite nicely," said Dan Keegan, director of the Kemper Museum
of Contemporary Art. "Just looking at these cows here, I think we're
going to knock the hoofs off those other cities."
The decorated cows will be displayed outdoors across the area from
May to August.
Finally, on Oct. 6, the cows will be auctioned, and all the money
raised will be given to youth cultural programs offered by the Royal,
the Kemper Museum and the Kansas City Zoo. An Internet auction also
is planned.
Artist Lori Raye Erickson painted her reclining cow with images
reminiscent of 1940s magazine ads. On the one flank, two women hold a
bottle of milk and a box of gelatin. On the other, a woman holds a
raw steak.
Meanwhile, Ethel the cow sports an enigmatic grin.
Erickson, a former Kansas City Art Institute student with a studio
in the West Bottoms, also outfitted her cow with leather hoof
coverings, metal plates, rivets and protruding dowel rods.
Organizers are rounding up sponsors willing to pay $5,000 for each
life-size cow.
Artists then will be selected to decorate the cows based on design
ideas submitted to a committee.
"I love the enthusiasm, the happiness and the joy it will bring
this community -- and the tourism dollars," said Karen Holland, a
CowParade promoter. "But ultimately we want the institutions to
benefit from the program."
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