Design

As if Driving in England Wasn

City-wide art project causes a stir.

Published

17 years ago

September 7, 2007

MaryKate Moran Signs of the Times September 2007 Issue

Lost O, a city-wide art program in Ashford, Kent, England, is making viewers do double- and triple-takes. Artist Michael Pinsky’s installation of street signs in a small area as a “memorial” to the city’s recently removed traffic circle has confused motorists. The display includes a one-way sign, a do-not-enter sign, a roundabout sign and more. A Kent Highways Services spokesperson said they are investigating to see if the art needs to come down.

Other subversive signs also created a buzz, such as Brad Downey’s puffin crossing sign, which is placed so far up a pole that pedestrians have to stand on one another’s shoulders to change the sign’s lights. A member of Kent’s Cabinet for Environment, Highways and Waste has ordered the sign be removed, despite meeting safety standards.

Dan Griffiths has created billboards, combining campaigning with ’70s rock album covers. The posters promote those who have played an intrinsic role in Ashford’s redevelopment, portraying them as cult celebrities rather than politicians.

The art program was part of a Tour de France celebration; a leg of the race went right through the city.

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