According to the Chinese zodiac, people born in the year of the rabbit are articulate, talented and ambitious. Those qualities are a perfect match for the St. Clair Superior Development Corporation's sixth annual public art campaign celebrating the Chinese lunar year, which began with the new moon on February 3, 2011.
To kick off the Year of the Rabbit celebration, 24 fiberglass rabbit sculptures featuring designs created and applied by Northeast Ohio artists and organizations will be installed throughout Cleveland's St. Clair Superior neighborhood and in other key locations in and around downtown Cleveland. The public can view these sculptures, free of charge, during the May 12 installation and unveiling. A series of public events will follow, showcasing the AsiaTown community and St. Clair Superior's growing arts district and business community.
After the unveiling, the public will have other opportunities to see the sculptures and participate in Year of the Rabbit activities. Eight of the 24 rabbits will be on view during the Cleveland Asian Festival, May 21 and 22. During Parade the Circle on Saturday, June 11, St. Clair Superior and Year of the Rabbit will have a youth activity table in the Circle Village, where kids can create Japanese carp kites. On September 24, a gala auction event will be held at the Cleveland Masonic Temple and Auditorium.
"The program has continued to expand and gain national attention from visitors each year," says Becca Britton, project coordinator with the St. Clair Superior Development Corporation. "We have visitors coming from out of state and planning their vacations around visiting these public art pieces." In addition to promoting investment in the St. Clair Superior neighborhood, the Year of the Rabbit events also celebrate citywide cultural awareness, and support arts education and the local arts community.
"The St. Clair Superior community has come to embrace this project as their own, and is proud to be involved," says Britton. Engaging our youth in the process has also shown to make it even more invaluable."
For more information and rabbit sculpture details and installation locations, click here.
Pictured l-r: "New Beginning" by Sean Kelly / sponsored by Charter One Bank ; "Heartwood Rabbit" by Olga Ziemska / sponsored by City Architecture ; "Jade Rabbit" by Lauren Sammon / sponsored by Custom Rubber. Lead image: "Lotus Bunny Blossom" by Anna Arnold / sponsored by Councilmen Cimperman, Johnson and Dow
