I suppose for the Mancunians it’s no suprise that the A666 goes to Salford…

While over in the UK last week, my girlfriend took me to see Antony Gormley’s “Another Place” art installation on Crosby Beach.  No, that guy standing in the picture above is not really a guy, but a six foot tall rusted cast iron figure, complete with rusted cast iron penis, and is one of about a hundred or so figures stretching over two miles and looking out into the Irish Sea.  Apparently it’s proven effective, as Irish migration to the UK has slowed recently, although I’d like to think this is probably the result of the Irish economy eclipsing the British one.

As you can see in this photo, the figures aren’t entirely attractive, and taken all together as they face the sea, the installation leaves you with a desolate feeling, no doubt helped by the autumn sun low in the sky, the clouds overhead, and the 60 mph winds picking up sand and blasting you in the face so that at least a few layers of skin were stripped away during our visit.

I suppose you can always bring up the question of what art is, and whether or not this is art (my rule with visual art is that if I could have made it, it’s not art).  The statues serve primarily as a tourist attraction these days or as dangerous obstructions for people who’d actually prefer to use the beach for water sports recreation. If nothing else, the damn things are just a wee bit creepy.

They must have a problem with fraternity initiations in the area.

Chester < Manchester < Godmanchester

Multiple Sclerosis Street doesn’t roll off the tongue the same way.

…and it never fucking stops raining!

I believe this will only work against very short people. Very short people unable to locate a small box so they can jump over it. My inseam is taller.

But it could have been so cool! (Yes, I know the sign means something else.)

I really have no idea what was going on here. I only know that even for Halloween, you wouldn’t catch me in tights like that. Or in tights. Ever.

Walking along one of the canals in London, I came across this sign, and instantly thought: “Some dumbass installed it upside down.”  Then I realized that no, I was the dumbass, as the point was that the reflection would be right-side up.

My sister, standing next to me, made sure I realized what a dumbass I was. Aren’t sisters wonderful?