Belfast street art will soon be the 'butt' of jokes

Over at Forth Magazine, Jason reports an interesting development in Belfast's burgeoning collection of 'street art'. The 'Bax of Fegs' will celebrate the city's culture and stand, on Fountain Street, beside a huge can of lager.

The can of Harp, which is a symbol within the ancient Dypsomaniac culture of Ireland, will be made from polished aluminium with a silvery reflective appearance, and will appear to be leaking beer like water splashing the Bax but miraculously not affecting the Fegs within. That’s thanks to the cellophane. The £3.47 in small change at the top of the sculpture will be for the next Bax of ten, a dramatic accent and symbol of good fortune for the city and its bright future. In the evenings, dramatic lighting will throw enchanting shadows of the pre-teens, uninterested in going home to hear another parental argument, who will add their penmanship to the pristine surfaces of the Bax.

Margaret Ritchie said: ‘This is a fascinating link between the rich history of old Belfast, the dynamic, attractive modern city centre that we are producing and the necessity for our departments to justify their budgets by spending every last penny allocated to them. Belfast city centre is well on its way to having a streetscape which compares with other regional capital cities across Europe. It may not compare favourably, but it will feature in comparisons. Public art plays a key role in that. Tourists are very attracted to public art for photo opportunities and public urination, be it on a little mermaid in Copenhagen or a Bax of Fegs in Belfast.


And yes, I do know what day it is, but then I always have to check what day it is whenever I read about one of these newly commissioned statues.

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