Superlambanana

Superlambanana is a bright yellow sculpture in Liverpool, standing five metres tall outside the Avril Robarts Library. Designed by Japanese artist Taro Chiezo as a cross between a banana and a lamb, it weighs eight tonnes. The full-size version was made by local artists Andy Small, Julian Taylor, Tommy Reason and Ray Stokes. Originally created for the 1998 ArtTransPennine Exhibition, it reflects Liverpool’s dock history where both sheep and bananas were once common cargo. The sculpture comments on genetic engineering while celebrating the city’s maritime past. It has moved around Liverpool over the years, from the Strand near the Liver Building to Wapping Dock and Spike Island. Its colour has changed for different causes, from pink for breast cancer awareness to blue and yellow for Eurovision 2023. A smaller replica once stood on Moel Famau in Wales to mark links with North Wales. Visitors find the bright yellow form striking against the library’s surroundings. The original sculpture’s wire-mesh frame and fibreglass shell show its construction. Mini Superlambananas from 2008 were scattered across Merseyside, each with unique designs and local sponsorship. Some now stand near the Museum of Liverpool at the Pier Head, while others tour or remain in collections.