If you are going to be in Rome between now and 4th July you may meet some unusual temporary citizens, for the capital’s streets and squares are playing host to around one hundred fibreglass cows. The cows form an open air art exhibition called “Cowparade Roma 2010” and have been designed by both professional and amateur artists.
“Cowparade” was the inspiration of Swiss sculptor Pascal Knapp and is an annual charity event which has taken place in over 50 cities around the world since 1999. Over the years, the scope and quality of the exhibition have developed. Each cow has a sponsor to cover costs and on 14th July there will be an auction organised by Sotheby’s at Rome’s Aranciera di San Sisto. In 2003 a cow model decorated in Waterford crystal by John Rocha fetched $146,000 at auction in Dublin and over $20 million have been raised by the cow sculpture auctions so far.
Among this year’s exhibits are a cow dressed as a centurion, a cow in AS Roma colours, a Spiderman cow and a white cow that children can colour. The Lazio Tourist Board are distributing cow sculpture location maps to tourists .
