An increasing number of UK’s metal public art works are undergoing a magical transmutation, like in the curious case of Lonon Park’s $780,000 Two Forms (Divided Circle) by Dame Barbara Hepworth. It’s getting melted down into $1K worth of scrap metal somewhere. Magic! Read more »
We’ve been waiting for successful, rights-conscious artist Amish Kapoor to unveil his 1400-ton ArcelorMittal Orbit Tower, UK’s largest public artwork and there it is in London, looking like an “oil rig twisting on itself” or a broken roller coaster. The real thing (right) is just a bit less impressive than its digital rendering (left). Womp womp? Just like the giant worm he packed inside the Grand Palais in Paris, such giant things require swarms of comparably tiny, tiny people to highlight its size and gusto. Peek-squeak “wows!” optional.
Three British men in their mid-20s were sentenced to eight months in prison for a graffiti spree that reportedly lasted from 2003 to 2009. Authorities say the trio unleashed a carnage of vandalism from the UK to Australia.
The UK’s version of the Pentagon did a study on UAVs and concluded that their increasing role in warfare could to lead to an “incremental and involuntary journey towards a Terminator-like reality.” Well, that sounds positively frightening. Says the report: “Autonomous systems will, in effect, be self-aware and their response to inputs indistinguishable from, or even superior to, that of a manned aircraft.” Read more »
Those of us who don’t live in the UK are a certain distance away from the blue blooded spawn wedding media brouhaha and so many superfluous merchandising shenanigans they can’t even get the Prince right anymore. For those who aren’t as lucky, here’s a handy-dandy Royal Wedding Sick Bag from the UK artist Lydia Leith. Order yours today and be prepared (to hurl) on April 29th.
British authorities have recruited low level criminal offenders to scrub subway stations in London near Buckingham Palace, so the city doesn’t look so grimy to visitors ogling the royal wedding in April.
Yesterday, as Sotheby’s began its auction of a Warhol, about a dozen young protesters pulled the fire alarms and started moaning, the room erupting in loud ringing, squealing and simulated orgasms. The anti-art cuts protesters unveiled a red “Orgy of the Rich” banner and threw fake £50 notes at said orgy. Read more »
Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s replacement were on their way to the theater last night when protesters unhappy about tuition hikes surrounded the couple’s Rolls-Royce and began pelting it with fists, feet, miscellaneous objects, and paint. The look on the Duchess of Cornwall’s face sums up the scene rather succinctly as does the jittery cell phone footage of the chaotic incident below. Read more »
The UK Telegraph reports that Britain is on it’s way to “becoming a surveillance state.” Wait, it isn’t already? Their patchwork of CCTV cameras are already the most advanced and intrusive in the world, but things are expected to get even watchier in the very near future according to the Information Commissioner’s Office. The official privacy watchdog with no bite, says that officials need to start drafting legislation to protect against the coming wave of spy drones, GPS tracking and social network monitoring.
And it wasn’t even over a soccer game or a pub closing early. Protesters in London are really unhappy over the government’s decision to cut education spending and increase tuition rates. So, they attempted to storm the Conservative Party’s headquarters, but were met by riot gear-clad police, who didn’t shoot anyone, but did arrest dozens.
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