I am the Superlambanana

I am the Superlambanana

I sit on the mantle-piece, brought in a drunken surge from the local bottle shop. Originally cast in China, a miniature of Liverpool finest public artworks. I stand on my plinth and I look around this room, I see the early morning starts, breakfasts followed by the waking of the dog and then the cleaning of the front room. Observing my raised peak tail I see it lacks the rub and polish it received at the factory in China, again when unpacked at the wholesalers, then an extra special rub over when placed by the spirits at the Off Licence. At the factory I was one in a million, on the cargo ship one in a thousand then finally a simple sidekick to the bells whiskey which too many drunks chose to ignore when they stagger into the shop. Here I am an individual, I am the Superlambanana not one of many. I should be kept shinier and more glam to twinkle in the sunlight, but I stand proud as an almighty One-off. Watching everything going on I am central to the house, the head of the main room. I am the focal point, I am the master, I am the controller. Watching them argue, listening to them make-up, seeing their tears and hearing their laughter. I understand their desires and their disdain and I watch when they collide. The pet dog gets a free rein of downstairs, but he is nothing on me, I am glossy and smooth, shapely, standing tall and proud. He is rough coated, shreds his fur and bounces in excitement. He scratches and brings home flea’s, I gleam clean, I am the supreme.

I am the Superlambana.

‘I am the Superlambanana’ is a work of Flash Fiction written by Alison Little in February of 2018, she has lived in Liverpool for fifteen years and witnessed the Superlambanana become a symbol of the city.

Liverpool’ Latest Lambanana

Superlambanana Lips has taken up residence in the far-reaching lands of Maghull. Nestling amongst prickly plant life she stands proudly at the entrance to the Lip Doctor, Liverpool Road South, gated at night to ensure that she doesn’t escape. To match the lip shaping and plumping service offered by Doctor Fab she has been adorned with a selection of the finest lips in Liverpool. Each ear taking on pouting red lips stretching out to both sides, dark toned and diamond studded smack onto the middle body. The frontal limbs present romantic soft tones smiles while the back has been kissed by the finest plump pink pair. The tip of the yellow tail has been finished off with a flirty orange shade set. A delightful creature, fun but equally glamorous all at the same time.

The original Superlambanana was created by artist Taro Chiezo and first made an appearance on the streets of Liverpool almost two decades ago. The mammal was intended to be a comment about genetic engineering through the cross between a lamb and a banana. Although the sculpture was originally controversial it became a Souse favourite when the Capital of Cultures Go Superlambana trail took to the Streets of Liverpool in 2008. 125 individually painted replicas marched across Merseyside and the surrounding areas: Runcorn to Rainford, Southport to St Helens one even striding as far as Moel Famau in North Wales.

Superlambana Lips stood proudly in the original trail, however, then her coat was a very different colour: Black. Originally she was coated in blackboard paint by artist Jacqueline Boylan to allow visitors to the trail to write comments in chalk over the fine beast, entitled Culture Chalk she stood in Pyramid Shopping Centre, Wirral. From the auction, she was brought by a North Liverpool hairdressers before finding a new home at the Lip Doctors in Maghull.

Standing coated pink of a few years the new owners approached local artist Alison Little to transform the creature into a much-loved art piece. Alison originally worked on 3 Lambanana’ for the trail, followed by a commission of Superlambanana Peacock located in Seel Street. A further commission for Sure Start, the fifth and most recent being Super Lambanana Lips. Other hand painted commissions include Go Penguin in Liverpool, the Horse Parade in Cheltenham in addition to mural work in Kirby and Garston.

Adding the Lips to this glamour-lamb has been one of the liveliest commissions she has worked on.

Let her stand proud, tall and kissed by so many lips for the foreseeable future…..

We have Superlamanana Lips!

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