Location: Various events and festivals
Wyndham’s latest addition to the City’s inflatables collection is a beautiful 4-metre tall Lucky Cat, complete with a waving arm. Lucky cat, or ‘Maneki Neko’ in Japanese, translates as ‘beckoning cat’. The Lucky Cat is a traditional symbol of good luck and fortune, with many smaller statues often appearing in retail spaces and restaurants around the world to attract business and money. The waving paw of the cat is said to symbolise different meanings, the left paw beckons customers, whilst the right paw invites good fortune and money.
The cat joins the other inflatables, a giant inflatable rainbow arch, Wah and Wah birds designed by Josh Muir, Len Tregonning’s giant ‘Camp Dog’, and a set of three Babushka’s created by artist Carla Gottgens, as the fifth installation in the Wyndham collection.
Designed and fabricated by Mr Inflatables, Wyndham’s Lucky Cat features a mechanical, motorised right arm, beckoning in good fortune and money for the people of Wyndham.
The cat will go out to Wyndham City’s community events and festivals to greet the people and bring them good prosperity and luck too.
Inspired by British street artist Fanakapan’s paintings of 3D foil balloons, the Lucky Cat features his shortened nickname, ‘Fan’, on the front in Cantonese – the words translate as ‘Cool Fan’ – and the cat features his trademark silver foil finish. The other colours of the cat also symbolise special meanings, the red of its collar symbolises success in love and relationships, while the green embodies good health.
Check out more of Fanakapan’s artwork here: www.instagram.com/fanakapan
Photography credit: James Pipino @ Artmix / Fanakapan