Ole

Patriotic day
Originally uploaded by Victoriano.

When I was living in Europe, I never did make it across to Spain, but I hear that the Osborne Bull is a very famous silhouette that dots the Spanish countryside.

Last night the River East Arts Center here in Chicago hosted a one-night-only exhibition of a selection of 2-D Osborne Bulls that had been decorated by 'celebrities'. I inserted those inverted commas myself, as the degree of celebrity of the 'artists' (there I go again), varied greatly.

Sure there was Antonio Banderas, who I widely suspect had his Bull painted for him as all he managed to produce was a map of Spain. Angie Harmon from the old Law & Order series did a very cute bull decorated with little diamantes on his horns and toenails (a glamour bull evidently...very Hollywood). Dr Phill put engraved silver tags all over his and I still don't really get why. Maybe it was for deep psychological reasons.

But my favourite bulls were decorated by Spanish artists whose names are forever lost to me, but whose bulls was resplendent in vibrant images and colourful swirls and glittery bits all over. One of them was decorated by a fashion designer, so the bull was wearing cute denim jeans and a tight flannel shirt and even Dame Edna-style glasses. Very cute.

The bulls go up for auction in Miami soon to raise funds to fight child hunger in the USA. The curator took my card and promised to keep me posted about the two works that I particularly liked. Something tells me that even though I'd never heard of the artists myself, these works of art may indeed still fetch a hefty sum. Aye carumba!