June 2002 - Nr. 6
Berlin Bear Visits New York
TWIG - Close to the famous bull statue on New York’s Wall Street, a bear statue from Berlin’s public art exhibition "Buddy Bear" has found an appropriate home. The bear, the official mascot of the city of Berlin, and the creation of German artist Helge Leiberg, is painted red, white and blue and adorned with time-honoured American symbols, as well as depictions of Berlin’s most famous landmark, the Brandenburg Gate. The statue is a gift of the people of Berlin to the City of New York, symbolizing the strong bonds of friendship that link the two cities. The New York Buddy Bear project is part of a parade of 430 colourful life-size bears that have decorated the streets and squares of the German capital since June 2001. Reminiscent of the Cow Parade in Chicago and New York in 1999 and 2000, the bears are hand-painted by local and international artists. At the official unveiling ceremony on Tuesday (May 7), New York parks and recreation commissioner Adrian Benepe, co-founder of the exhibition, Eva Herlitz and president of Berlin Tourismus Marketing, Hans Peter Nerger exchanged warm words of welcome and solidarity.
