Vinyl On Parade

By Mark Kaufman
The other day someone I know backed into one of Seattle’s Nutcracker March figures and that got me to thinking about that project, the granddaddy of them all Cows on Parade and it’s many copycats around the world VS. the hipster vinyl figurine craze. Most, and I count myself in this category, have considered the Cows on Parade campaigns to be the lowest common denominator, low art for the masses and tend to ignore them because no self respecting, would be hipster would be caught dead enjoying this public art project. What a moron I have been. I have now decided that these projects are every bit as “cool” as the Kozik/Baseman/Kid Robot vinyl characters. In fact I now think they are cooler because at least Pigs on Parade or Miles of Mules and any of the other projects around the world raise money and awareness for a good cause, bring art to the masses and say something (although I’m not sure what) about culture and community. The designer dolls don’t say or do much of anything when you think about it. The concepts are basically the same, blank 3D canvasses are provided, artists decorate them. Why is one project considered the bees knees by the vast majority of the public and put on public display and the other projects considered the epitome of cool by a small minority of fanboys and girls and are only on display in office cubicles? Maybe I’m wrong and maybe some of the vinyl stuff is made and sold for a good cause now and then, please let me know if that is the case. Can’t we all just get along?