Anyway, this is the background story, for those who don't know...
(text passage copied from Davidlynch.de )
In June 2000, about 500 fibre-glas cows were exhibitioned throughout
New York City. Lynch - beside other internationally acclaimed
artists as Nathan Oliviera, Roy De Forest, Manuel Neri and many more - was asked
for a contribution.
"I don't think it will be a particularly friendly looking cow", he announced,
and indeed the reception was quite mixed:
NEW YORK (AP) - It seems David Lynch is too gruesome
even for New York.
The cow sculpture created by the director for a public
art show is being returned to California without going
on display, The New York Times reported Thursday.
Lynch, known for the eerie 1990s television drama
``Twin Peaks,'' chopped off his cow's head and stuck
forks and knives into its back. He also covered parts
of the cow with a reddish, blood-like substance.
``I thought it was Charles Manson,'' city Parks
Commissioner Henry J. Stern told the Times. ``I don't
know whether it's shock art or schlock art. David
Lynch should stick to his day job, making movies.''
CowParade NYC 2000 features several hundred fiberglass
cows decorated by artists and schoolchildren and
displayed on sidewalks around the city.
Lynch said he was disappointed to be excluded. ``Don't
you think when people tell you you're allowed to do
whatever you want as long as it's not sexually X-rated
that they should stand behind their word and show your
cow?'' Lynch said.
A cow by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals,
was rejected before the cow parade began in June and
sued the city and organizers unsuccessfully.
So, anyway. Back in 2004 the Cow Parade project came to Sweden and Lynch's cow was actually put on display at an gallery (sort of) called "Färgfabriken" (in Stockholm, Sweden). It was the only cow and the only object put on display, and it was never seen on the streets of Sweden among all the other cows.
Living in Sweden I took the time to go out and see this thing... And I mean... man... it's definetly the most breathtaking museum visit I've ever been through.
First off, I went out to Färgfabriken, which is like this cool and well respected display for modern culture and all that... but it's located in a weird neighourhood of narrow streets and industrial buildings (kind of old factories, a lot of red bricks and such, you know, classic Lynch-country). Having never been there before I wandered around for a bit before actually finding the place.
And so I walk in through the entrence. And this is a hot summer day, and I step out of the blinding sun light into this... well, into this odd looking hip little art place. There's a bar to the left with a couple of blond chicks mixing up yellow drinks.
I look around the room wondering if this is actually the right place. There's a couple of people sitting in a sofa further into the room, maybe music is playing from a stereo somewhere but I can't be to sure at that time.
Somewhat frustrated about the fact that I don't know what to do, I walk up to the bar and lean in towards one of the blondes on the other side (most likely with a very strange and mentally deranged look upon my face - what can I say, I'd travelled for hours and walked around the streets in the blazing hot sun) and then I pose the obvious question...
"Where... Is... The Cow?"
She looks back into my eyes with a hint of confusion and points me in the opposite direction. "It's through that door and up the stairs to the left" she replies and I set foot towards a set of tall doors directly across from the bar. I cover the short distance in a few seconds and turn left directly passed the doorway. I still can't see the cow anywhere and the end if the stairs is to high up for me to to make out what lies passed it.
I actually brought my digital camera with me in order to take a photo of this once in a life time art piece. As I start climbing the stairs I see a sign on the wall that mentions photography being prohibited past this point. Still, who the hell cares, I mean there wont be any survialence, right?
And then I see it.
At the end of the stairs is a small hallway with an open door at the end of it. Passed the door is a gigantic room totally eclipsed in darkness. At this point, the only reasonable thing would be to take out my digital camera but my mind is totally blocked by what I'm seeing.
The room I'm entering is as big as a football field and I can barely make out the end of it. In the middle of the room stands a white be-headed cow. It's lit up by a single set of spotlights somewhere high up in the ceiling.
From the second I see that cow it's like I'm hypnotized. I just wander further and further into the abyss-like darkness, towards the deformed cadaver standing at least 50 meters away.
Once I arrive at it's side I'm completely stunned. It's litterally been like stepping into a David Lynch oriented world and I'm just waiting for a second light to come on and reveal a strange cowboy of some sort.
The room is completely empty except for me in the cow and I circle around it like a curious coyote. The back is all red and brown, with a half melted cows head sticking out of it, while other parts are pierced by household forks.
After about ten minutes the hypnotic spell is starting to wear of and I start to think about my camera laying inside the bag I brought. But then I notice a group of people approaching us from a distant. It seems a few other fanatics have made it into the darkness and I suddenly feel a need to exit.
Once in the downstairs room I feel totally lost. I gather my thaughts for a while before stepping back into the sunny afternoon. And then I head home.
And that's my story. I've never felt the same way about any other visit to a museum... and it really blew my mind. And for those of you who couldn't attend... this is what the cow looked like...
Photo sourced from http://www.fargfabriken.se/index.php?ta ... ent&id=141
I don't know what happened to the cow after the exhibit, but I'm really curious. Did anyone else get to see this, or do you know what ever happened to it???
EDIT: Added the cow picture.
