In October, I searched the Internet for parade and parade-like events related to Halloween, Zombie Walks/Crawls, and Day of the Dead. The number of events worldwide was astounding, from rural to suburban and urban settings, the visual and text documentation of these events and the people who attended them was extensive. Initially, I thought I would focus on the popularity of dead themed costumes in these events, but I found myself spiraling into thoughts about death and the realities of death, leading me to think, this is so depressing. Why would playing dead be fun, when actual death is not
Have you thought about character costumes, mascots, or uniforms in parades affiliated with a recognizable brand? It might not be your first thought when seeing a bunch of people in Wonder Woman costumes striking poses, Smokey Bear waving from a truck bed, or a big faux fur bird, bear, or alligator mascot in sports jersey walking with a marching band in a parade. Maybe some people are thinking intellectual property (IP) thoughts of trademarks, copyright, and other legal concerns when seeing any branded entity in a parade, but not me. Yet, my mind veered to these thoughts while watching a
Nestled between Dunning Street and Jackson Street on Atwood Avenue, right along the Capital City Trail in Madison, Wisconsin, sits a grinning larger-than-life mushroom and a bright blue and red dragon urn. The creator of this public art is Sid Boyum, artist and eccentric extraordinaire, whose public art has been delighting Madisonians since the 1960s. Sid was a prolific artist with works that extended far beyond his public art; he was undeniably creative with visionary and artistic friends. His home was a veritable wonderland filled with art of all kinds, his and friend’s alike.
