monkey mask

Hey, i really enjoy the Chinese zodiac statues that have been a public art project in Cleveland. This is their 11th year,and the Year of the Monkey. Some animals would lead to more art inspirations than others. I would think monkeys would be so. But, the group that co-ordinates this has seemed to lack continuing enthusiasm. It was very hard to find them on the net. The only thing i found was an interview on the public radio station.

Their first year, they painted forty fiberglass dogs. Most of the other years they had twenty four or five statues. Last year the dropped to seventeen rams. Well, just to-day i see there is a link [click]. Since the sponsors and locations seem to be regulars, the surmise may be sponsor recruitment and retention.

I wanted to do one, but am not in the art community. The rules included no religious messaging, but this is Asian culture where Asian religious traditions are integrated in culture and art. So, one can get away with that.

I thought of the Hindu monkey god, Hanuman, and the Chinese monkey king, Sun Wukong, whose weapon was a six foot pole. And i see by the link, twenty one statues are listed, and two of them are monkey kings.

My idea was based on a face of Sun Wukong in the Beijing Opera, and wearing red and yellow suit. I had found the template monkey and it did not suggest a dramatic pose. It looked more like a bell hop without the cap, or an organ grinder's companion.