A Comedy Of Errors

Why Not Associates have produced some amazing artworks over the last few years and I have been an ardent admirer of their work for a long time. Especially their work in the environment from the fantastic tree columns in the Crawley Library and their works in Morecambe with the Flock Of Words project that is a tribute to the late Eric Morecambe. Shown below:

There most amazing project to date has to be The Comedy Carpet in Blackpool. It is a stunning piece of work and I was initially surprised when I found out it was in Blackpool. I did go and see it for myself and it is fantastic. The benefit of being slightly older is that I have grown up with some of the comedy legends. So reading some of the quotes used brought back some good memories.

But this week I was sent a news report about Blackpool Council destroying the Comedy Carpet. Apparently whilst the work was being installed, the trams were out of service. Now the season is about to start they realised that at a certain vantage point, people might be standing too close to the tram tracks. Now surely there would have been lengthy conversations about any foreseeable problems beforehand and numerous surveys of the proposed site.

Anyway, having come across this problem, instead of getting in touch with the original artists who were commissioned, Blackpool Council took it upon themselves to instruct workmen to dig away sections to make it safer. Because of the nature of the artwork, there was a way that some panels could have been safely lifted out and possibly reconfigured, but no.

I make no secret of the fact that I have never liked Blackpool and have described it in the past as a cesspit by the sea. I wish they had chosen somewhere else more worthy of this artwork than Blackpool. Let's be honest, it isn't exactly a thriving hub of creativity is it? What should happen is that the remainder be taken away and reinstalled somewhere else to be appreciated by people a bit further up the food chain. It just goes to prove that some cultures cannot be changed and are so ingrained in a set system without foresight, that they are not worth changing. This might seem a strong self opinionated view but things like these really annoy me. Especially when it comes to councils making ridiculous decisions.


I suppose there is one advantage to Blackpool Council.........it gives them a bit more room to install some more burgers and doughnut stalls!