2 June 2004

Trip to USA: Kentucky

Wednesday / 2 June 2004 Gallopalooza Communities around the world have promoted public art projects similar to Louisville's Gallopalooza ever since 1998 when Zurich, Switzerland distributed full-sized cow replicas around the city. Chicago followed suit with more cows, and when some Louisville city planners got together in connection with the Derby Festival, it seemed natural that Louisville could have its own exhibition but centered on horses. Thus was born what is now known as "Louisville's Sidewalk Derby." 219 life-sized fiberglass horses were offered to local businesses, organizations, and schools, and professional artists or school art classes were invited to decorate the horses following a theme of a Derby winner, a particular year, the company's image, or a related theme. The resulting creations were then placed on view throughout the community, usually in front of the sponsoring group's headquarters. It's quite a dazzling addition to the Louisville scene with the beautiful and brightly colored horses poppping up on sidewalks along city streets. The left horse was decorated by a neighborhood community center. The second horse stands in from of the Home for the Innocents, a shelter for abandoned babies. These two horses were decorated by the Louisville Glassworks in the downtown area. For more about the Gallopalooza, click here.