Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Guerilla art...Boris Island


Before Deptford X opened its doors last Friday evening, a scarecrow appeared on the Bird's Nest roundabout. Made of straw, brooms and a mop head, it sported a double breasted suit, shirt and tie – and the face on Boris Johnson on both sides.

The News Shopper picked up the story from Twitter yesterday and assumed the "man of straw" was part of Deptford X. It is not. Don't ask how we know, but it's not in the programme, and the organisers and artist(s) would have been obliged to seek the permission of TfL Highways and/or Lewisham Council to erect anything on the roundabout and would be highly unlikely to get it.

The scarecrow has survived the last few days without removal, and its tendency to turn in the wind like a whirling dervish (or weather vane) has been corrected. It is now being added to by locals and early this morning was to be seen completely re-costumed (with some very strange accessories) and no longer recognisable as Boris...though he may appear to some like this...


Update: Thursday 2nd October 

Boris is back! With a sidekick – possibly his Chief of Staff, Sir Edward Lister, the real power behind the throne (also known as "Eddie Air Miles" for his frequent trips to China and Hong Kong)...

Someone has glued some childrens' shoes to the base of the roundabout.



Update 9 November: Boris is still up...and has acquired a couple of accessories – two hanging baskets – one containing a synthetic cheeseplant, the other a large pound sign. Possibly a comment on the ludicrous Garden Bridge? Or perhaps the scales of justice are weighing in favour of green space versus developers...a local comment on the Tidemill development?...



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