Superlambanana | |
---|---|
Artist | Taro Chiezo |
Medium | Concrete, fiberglass, wire mesh |
Dimensions | (Ht: 17 ft (5.2 m) Wt: 8 long tons (8.1 t) in) |
Location | Liverpool, England |
53°24′39.4″N2°59′17.3″W / 53.410944°N 2.988139°W --> |
Superlambanana is a bright yellow sculpture in Liverpool, England. Weighing almost 8 tonnes (7.9 long tons) and standing at 5.2 metres (17 feet) tall, it is intended to be a cross between a banana and a lamb and was designed by New York City-based Japanese artist Taro Chiezo. It currently stands in Tithebarn Street, outside the Avril Robarts Library of Liverpool John Moores University, having previously been located on Wapping near the Albert Dock. [1]
Chiezo himself only created a four-inch model, while the full-size replica was made by local artists Andy Small, Julian Taylor, Tommy Reason, and Ray Stokes. Developed for the 1998 ArtTransPennine Exhibition, the sculpture reflects the history of Liverpool, as both sheep and bananas were historically common cargos in the city's docks, while it is also a comment on the potential dangers of genetic engineering.
In 2008, as part of Liverpool's year-long position as the European Capital of Culture, 125 individual miniature replicas were created. Sponsored by local community organisations and businesses in the city, the mini Superlambananas were located throughout the Liverpool and Merseyside region. One sculpture, The Highest SuperLambBanana, was located on top of Moel Famau, North Wales, recognising the very close links the city has with that region. [2]
The sculpture was created for the ArtTransPennine Exhibition in 1998, part of an initiative to create a 'corridor of art' through the North of England. [3] Liverpool's contribution, designed by Japanese artist Taro Chiezo, was the Superlambanana which was unveiled to the city at the reopening of Liverpool's branch of the famous Tate Gallery. An ironic comment on the dangers of genetic engineering, it was developed with the city specifically in mind as both the banana and lamb were once a common cargo in Liverpool's bustling docks. [4] The thinking behind Chiezo's Superlambanana was the creation of something that 'spoke of the future of 90's Liverpool'. He had previously visited the city and been inspired by the Queensway Tunnel's ventilation shaft, in particular the symbolism of how a vital piece of 1930's engineering had been incorporated into a broader 'sculpture' (or in this case an aesthetically attractive building). [3] Chiezo himself made only a four-inch model, with four local sculptors: Andy Small, Julian Taylor, Tommy Reason and Ray Stokes, recreating it on a scale of 50:1. [5] [6] [7]
It was created using a wire-mesh frame that supported a concrete and fibreglass shell [5] and was developed at the former Bryant and May Matchworks factory in the south of the City at a total cost of £35,000. [8] The sculpture was at first considered controversial and there was scepticism regarding its purpose and value. However it soon became a popular symbol in the city and a valued piece of public art. [4] At the end of the ArtTransPennine Exhibition, responsibility for the sculpture was handed to the Liverpool Architecture & Design Trust. [2]
Since the sculpture's conception it was intended to move around the city and not remain in one location. [4] It was originally located on the Strand near Liverpool's famous Liver Building and has since been located in several places including Williamson Square, [5] Spike Island in Widnes, Cheshire, [9] and on Wapping, close to the Albert Dock. [1] Council leader Warren Bradley also suggested that the sculpture could be moved to Garston in the south of the city in the near future. [10]
Although its usual colour is yellow, the statue has occasionally been given a temporary repaint as part of a sponsorship arrangement. Colours have included pink, during a period of sponsorship by the breast cancer awareness charity Breakthrough, [4] the colours of a Friesian cow during a period of 'quasi-vandalism', and purple during the SmokeFree Liverpool campaign. [11] In 2023 the statue was painted in the colours of the Ukrainian flag to mark the Eurovision Song Contest being held in Liverpool on behalf of Ukraine, due to Russia's full scale war in Ukraine. [12]
There had been a great deal of speculation about the future of the sculpture after it emerged that it was only on loan to the city council from the artist and it had been suggested that the sculpture could be sold to Liverpool's neighbour Manchester. [13] In September 2008 talks began between the Liverpool Culture Company and representatives of Taro Chiezo about keeping the sculpture in Liverpool. [14]
Six months later, in February 2009, it was announced that an agreement had been reached between the two parties that will see a new replica model being made by original sculptor Julian Taylor that will remain in the city for the next 80 years. [15] It is expected that the current Superlambanana will be returned to Chiezo to be auctioned off. [16]
As part of Liverpool's Capital of Culture celebrations, 125 two-metre-high replicas of Superlambanana were commissioned and located throughout Liverpool and the surrounding areas. The mini Superlambananas were developed in partnership between the Liverpool Culture Company and Wild in Art, with each one being sponsored by a local institution or business and designed by local community members. The miniature Superlambananas were on display for ten weeks, from the June to August 2008. [17] The Liverpool Echo partnered with the event, releasing a location map and guide of every mini Superlambanana to encourage locals to get involved. [18] All but two of them were located within the Merseyside area. Lovemedoodle was located at Euston railway station in London for a short while until it was moved back to Liverpool Lime Street station, [19] whilst The Highest SuperLambBanana was located on top of Moel Famau in North Wales and was sponsored by Denbighshire County Council. [20]
At the end of their ten-week run, the mini Superlambananas were auctioned off for the Lord Mayor's charities, with each having a guide price ranging from £3,000 to £8,000. [21] The first of two auctions was held at St George's Hall on 9 September 2008 with 68 Superlambananas up for sale. In total they sold for a combined sum of £550,000 or approximately £7,800 each, well above estimates. The highest bid on the night was £25,000, paid by the Chairman of National Museums Liverpool for 'Mandy' Mandala Superlambanana created by glass artist Patricia Lee, whilst Phil Redmond, creative director of the Liverpool Culture Company, purchased four lots for a total of £55,000. Other notable purchasers included comedian John Bishop, playwright Fred Lawless and Big Brother star Craig Phillips. [22] A second, internet-based auction (hosted by AuctionYourProperty) took place on 16 September 2008 with 25% of the proceeds going to charity.
Early in 2010, eight new two-metre-high replicas of Superlambanana, known as the "Eight for 08" were commissioned as a permanent piece of public art. Initially placed on The Strand, in front of the Cunard and Liver Buildings, they were destined to be moved to Lime Street station following the station's refurbishment. [23]
In 2010, one of these sculptures was sent to the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, China. This sculpture was named 'Archie' as it featured many designs from architectural details from the city. The sculpture was gifted by the city, and now resides in the Shanghai World Expo Museum. This sculpture was made in the medium of mosaic, and was designed and made by Debbie Ryan, a local artist from the city of Liverpool.
As of October 2014, four of the 'Eight for 08' have been relocated to the Pier Head, outside the new Museum of Liverpool. Mandy Mandala Superlambanana is in the museum itself. Before the Eurovision Song Contest was held in Liverpool in June 2023, the Museum of Liverpool made a video explaining to visitors what a Superlambana is. [24]
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, North West England. The metropolitan borough had a population of 486,100 in 2021. The city is located on the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary, adjacent to the Irish Sea, and is approximately 178 miles (286 km) from London. The Liverpool built-up area is the third largest in England and Wales outside London. It is the largest settlement in the Liverpool City Region, which is the fourth largest combined authority in the UK with a population of 1,551,722 in 2021. The city also forms part of a larger urban region of over 2 million people which extends in to the neighbouring counties of northeast Wales, Cheshire and Lancashire. The region shares political boundaries and significant economic connections.
Tate Liverpool is an art gallery and museum in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, and part of Tate, along with Tate St Ives, Cornwall, Tate Britain, London, and Tate Modern, London. The museum was an initiative of the Merseyside Development Corporation. Tate Liverpool was created to display work from the Tate Collection which comprises the national collection of British art from the year 1500 to the present day, and international modern art. The gallery also has a programme of temporary exhibitions. Until 2003, Tate Liverpool was the largest gallery of modern and contemporary art in the UK outside London.
Merseyside is a ceremonial and metropolitan county in North West England. It borders Lancashire to the north, Greater Manchester to the east, Cheshire to the south, the Welsh county of Flintshire across the Dee Estuary to the southwest, and the Irish Sea to the west. The largest settlement is the city of Liverpool.
Banksy is a pseudonymous England-based street artist, political activist and film director whose real name and identity remain unconfirmed and the subject of speculation. Active since the 1990s, his satirical street art and subversive epigrams combine dark humour with graffiti executed in a distinctive stenciling technique. His works of political and social commentary have appeared on streets, walls and bridges throughout the world. Banksy's work grew out of the Bristol underground scene, which involved collaborations between artists and musicians. Banksy says that he was inspired by 3D, a graffiti artist and founding member of the musical group Massive Attack.
Charging Bull, sometimes referred to as the Bull of Wall Street or the Bowling Green Bull, is a bronze sculpture that stands on Broadway just north of Bowling Green in the Financial District of Manhattan in New York City. The 7,100-pound (3,200 kg) bronze sculpture, standing 11 feet (3.4 m) tall and measuring 16 feet (4.9 m) long, depicts a bull, the symbol of financial optimism and prosperity. Charging Bull is a popular tourist destination that draws thousands of people a day, symbolizing Wall Street and the Financial District.
The Walker Art Gallery is an art gallery in Liverpool, which houses one of the largest art collections in England outside London. It is part of the National Museums Liverpool group.
Prince's Dock is a dock on the River Mersey, England, and part of the Port of Liverpool. It is the most southerly of the docks situated in the northern part of the Liverpool dock system, connected to Prince's Half-Tide Dock to the north. The dock is now in the buffer zone to one of Liverpool's World Heritage Sites.
Canning Dock on the River Mersey is part of the Port of Liverpool in Northern England. The dock is in the southern dock system, connected to Salthouse Dock to the south and with access to the river via the Canning Half Tide Dock to the west. The Canning Graving Docks are accessed from the dock.
The Nelson Monument is a monument to Admiral Horatio Nelson, in Exchange Flags, Liverpool, England. It was designed by Matthew Cotes Wyatt and sculpted by Richard Westmacott. It stands to the north of the Town Hall and was unveiled in 1813.
Taro Chiezo is a Japanese artist based in Manhattan. His works include SuperLambBanana, a sculpture in Liverpool, England of a Lamb with its back as a banana.
The Kiss is an 1882 marble sculpture by the French sculptor Auguste Rodin.
Crosby Beach is part of the Merseyside coastline north of Liverpool in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, England, stretching about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) North-West from the Seaforth Dock in the Port of Liverpool, through Waterloo, where it separates the sea from the Marina. The beach was awarded Keep Britain Tidy's Quality Coast Award in 2011.
Hundreds of replicas of the Statue of Liberty have been created worldwide. The original Statue of Liberty, designed by sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, is 151 feet tall and stands on a pedestal that is 154 feet tall, making the height of the entire sculpture 305 feet.
Liverpool Arena, known for sponsorship reasons as the M&S Bank Arena and previously the Echo Arena, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the city centre of Liverpool, England. The venue hosts live music, comedy performances and sporting events, and forms part of Liverpool event campus ACC Liverpool – an interconnected arena, exhibition and convention centre. The venue serves a regional population of 2.5 million people and over 6.6 million across England's North West.
The Liverpool Canal Link is an English waterway link that connects the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, at the Liverpool Pier Head, to the city's South Docks. It cost £22m and was opened in March 2009. The new link adds 1.4 miles (2.3 km) of navigable waterway to the canal system.
Replicas of Michelangelo's David have been made numerous times, in plaster, imitation marble, fibreglass, snow, and other materials. There are many full-sized replicas of the statue around the world, perhaps the most prominent being the one in the original's position in the Piazza della Signoria in Florence, Italy, placed there in 1910. The original sculpture was moved indoors in 1873 to the Accademia Gallery in Florence, where it attracts many visitors. Others were made for study at art academies in the late nineteenth century and later, while the statue has also been replicated for various commercial reasons or as artistic statements in their own right. Smaller replicas are often considered kitsch.
Jeffrey Lynn Koons is an American artist recognized for his work dealing with popular culture and his sculptures depicting everyday objects, including balloon animals produced in stainless steel with mirror-finish surfaces. He lives and works in both New York City and his hometown of York, Pennsylvania. His works have sold for substantial sums, including at least two record auction prices for a work by a living artist: US$58.4 million for Balloon Dog (Orange) in 2013 and US$91.1 million for Rabbit in 2019.
Go Superlambananas! was an art exhibition that took place in Liverpool, England, during the city's European Capital of Culture celebrations in 2008. Based upon Taro Chiezo's Superlambanana, which had been located in Liverpool since 1998, the exhibit consisted of 124 two metre high replicas, which were located throughout Liverpool and the surrounding areas. Each mini-Superlambanana was individually designed by local community groups and artists, with a range of public and private sector organisations providing sponsorship funding. The mini-Superlambananas were on display for ten weeks, from June to August 2008.
Jane Robbins is a sculptor. She works in cast bronze, resin and also other materials, primarily to make figurative and portrait sculptures. Her sculptures have been commissioned as public art in the UK as well as private works.