MYSTERY TEXTILE ARTIST STRIKES IN PLYMOUTH
Plymouth’s city centre landmark, The Sundial has been attacked and had a make-up from a textile artist. It’s the work of Mrs Smith, a textile graffiti artist who is known for her surprise interventions in the urban landscape and she has transformed the landmark overnight with the small plinths which surround it each now sporting an individual upholstered, padded cover.
She likes to keep her identity secret, but on her website she explains her motivation: “I started to notice things in the street that looked a little forlorn and in definite need of a bit of a boost. “So I set to and got myself making nice woolly hats for rusted old railings and jolly outfits for statues that were unloved or just looked a bit chilly.
The adornments appeared at the sundial overnight on Wednesday 21 April 2010 – and each plinth cover is embellished with tassels and bows – it’s all removable and leaves no trace. She has staged similar stunts in Milton Keynes and the Isle of Wight and Hazel thinks Plymouth should feel privileged to have been “Smithed”.
It makes a welcome change to people just putting fairy liquid into the fountain and the feedback so far has been very positive, in a statement Plymouth City Council said: “Given the positive public reaction to the display we are happy for it to remain in place – as long as no health and safety concerns arise.”
Images from Neil Robinson and BBC online.
