A pride of inert lions landed this morning Wednesday at Santa Engracia Square from the center of Saragossa. Their arrival in trucks like an urban safari has surprised the children who went to nearby schools and who, when crossing the Paseo de la Independencia, ran into the animals, which look towards the sky in a proud attitude. “Mom, look, a lion”, said a little boy on a tricycle who stopped dead when he ran into the four-legged giant. What are these sculptures doing in the Aragonese capital?
The initiative is included in the Zaragoza Florece activities program, the event created by the Zaragoza City Council in the natural environment of the Parque Grande José Antonio Labordeta, which fills different corners of the city with flowers along with a wide list of cultural events. This year, among the places outside the green space that have joined the initiative is the Plaza de Santa Engracia, with an exhibition organized by HERALDO with the collaboration of the City Council.
It is an enclave that has already hosted several outdoor sculpture exhibitions in recent years. In its day it was also occupied by busts of Goya decorated by local artists or on the nearby Paseo de la Independencia you could see the multicolored skulls of the first edition of the Vive Latino music festival.
Flower manes
Why a lion? The relationship of this animal with the city is close and historical. The king of the jungle appears on the city’s shield, although in his rampant position. In this case the lions are inspired by those that flank the Piedra bridge over the Ebro river, the most emblematic of the city. These are eight reproductions measuring 2.30 meters high and 2.50 meters long. At the exhibition under the title ‘The Lion’s Roar’ looking to unite “one of the most recognizable symbols of the city to the most relevant event in the first half of the year,” the organization explained.
The white lions of Santa Engracia will have flowery colored manes. Throughout this afternoon eight florists will decorate the frame placed around her head. Eight florists have been commissioned to prepare the lion’s mane decoration, with a theme or type of flower: Flores Aznar, Jardín de Paula, The Good Gardener, SAI more than flowers, Flores Castiello, Siete Flores, Boogaloo, Ebrojardín.
The exhibition is complemented by some customized giant cubes with plants and themed with famous paintings of flowers that will be placed at night. These are eight other structures in the shape of two-meter-high cubes that will be located on Paseo de la Independencia, on each side of the Plaza de Santa Engracia, surrounding the lion exhibition.
From Van Gogh to Klimt
“Each of these cube structures is dedicated to a famous work where flowers have a special role. A different flower in each bucket and in it, we will recreate a painting with real flowers,” they have detailed. Thus, you can see the paintings of ‘The Sunflowers’ by Van Gogh, ‘The Kiss’ by Klimt and ‘Spring’ by Arcimboldo, among others. others. The florist in charge of carrying out this immersive action of real flowers with painting will be Ebrojardín.
The main sponsors of both actions are FCC, Avanza and Tranvías de Zaragoza. In addition, other brands have joined in sponsoring one of the sculptures or cubes: Fundación Ibercaja, Eroski, Dikter, Chamber of Commerce, Carmelo Lobera, Coviar, Nacar Dental, Torre Outlet, Salazonera Aragonesa, Cartonajes Barco, Teltronic and Ayuntamiento de Pedrola.
The inauguration of the lions and the rest of the exhibition is scheduled this Thursday at 1:30 p.m. with the presence of the mayor, Natalia Chueca. The sample will remain until next Tuesday, May 28.
