Superlambanana Keyring

This is the enamel keyring of Liverpool's iconic Superlambanana. The Superlambanana was the original work of Japanese artist Taro Chiezo. Commissioned for the Art Transpennine Exhibition of 1998, the sculpture was a controversial, but welcome addition to the public art arena in Liverpool. Standing an impressive seventeen feet tall and comprised of concrete and steel, the statue first attracted interest from its original position on Liverpool's Strand. The unusual artwork was created to warn of the dangers of genetically modified food, whilst being appropriate to the city of Liverpool due to the port's rich history in the trade of lambs and the import of bananas.

As with much modern art, there was initially a degree of scepticism around the Superlambanana, but residents and tourists alike quickly began to see the unusual artwork as a welcome and humorous feature of the city at a time of much change and large-scale regeneration. In celebration of 2008, Liverpool's European Capital of Culture year, 'Go Superlambananas' featured a trail of 125 models of the Superlambanana located all over the city and across Merseyside. Each was decorated by a commissioned artist working with community groups and local businesses.

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