London is a city with all of the symptoms of multiple-personality disorder. One minute you are defending yourself from being trampled to death on Camden High Street or the tube, and the next you are staring solemnly at Sir Ian McKellen at the National Portrait Gallery. Perhaps it will be the view of St. Paul’s from the Tate Modern, or how about videos of prancing Victoria’s Secret models on New Bond Street? The town can also be as otherworldly as exploring the ocean bed draped in VR equipment at the Saatchi. It’s all good.
But for something emotionally charged, relevant, and politically and philosophically rankling, then there is the People’s Vote March on Saturday.
Artist: Benjamin Irritant
It is a public outcry. A call to mobilize and to stand up to the absurdities of the past two years and pressure the current government to listen to other voices. Their chosen mottos of “Together we can win a final say on Brexit” and a demand to “Put it to the People” are their keys to saving the country.
There is always an uncountable number of potential activities in London, but sometimes there is one that stands out from the crowd. Something simply more important.
To prove how unpopular Brexit is, I took a walk in the popular arts community of Brick Lane. It was easy to spot and photograph the political opinions pasted everywhere, and truthfully, I did not see one pro-Brexit tag.
Artist: Subdude, The Three Brexiteers
A partial list of the artists that I can identify include: quietbritishaccent (Bugger Brexit); subdude (Mistress May; and The Three Brexiteers); Bambi (…want for Xmas is EU); Gerald Scarfe (Evening Standard, Welcome); and Uberfubs (Scrap Brexit).
“The principles of true art is not to portray, but to evoke.” – Jerzy Kosinski
The voices and images of protest are definitely on display here. These photographs are simply a testament to their message.
“It isn’t what we say or think that defines us, but what we do.” – Jane Austen
Where it will go from here … who knows, but I am compelled to post this selection of local artwork as a civic duty to this wonderful city and to the country of my ancestors.
Good Luck to you, London. The rest of us have our fingers crossed – but London, if you only can remember to go back on your meds and calm down, your whole country can fit into Ontario four times… we will leave the light on for you.
So London, keep calm and . . . who knows??!!.
