Painted donkeys to take up residence in Flemish towns
Forty colourful donkeys are set to embellish a number of spots across Flanders soon. The baby donkeys are being put in place first, while the rest of the week mummy donkeys will be set out.
The donkey mania in Flanders forms part of an art project involving eighteen different artists that have each painted a different donkey. The project builds on a similar project last year when rhinoceroses were painted and set out in cities across northern Belgium.
Ludo Modelo from Antwerp is one of the artists involved. He explains that the donkeys will be sold after the event to raise cash. Some of the cash will be heading for the not-for-profit organisation City Pirates, a social project in Antwerp intended to promote football. Other monies will flow to De Kampenhoeve STER, a therapeutic centre in Kalmthout (Antwerp Province). The centre inspired the use of donkeys in this year’s project as at the centre donkeys are used as therapy animals.
The donkeys can be seen in many Flemish cities including Antwerp and Mechelen. They will be auctioned in October.