The whole town is shouting! In England, the inauguration of a periwinkle statue arouses indignation among the inhabitants of Chichester. In question, the form of the work of art, which resembles much more to a “giant poop emoji” than a pretty little snail.
“I find it inconceivable that at no point during the design of this sculpture did someone not say to themselves 'Excuse me, but that looks like a huge turd!',
laments a resident in the columns of The Sun. It’s very good to spend taxpayers’ money to decorate public spaces, but it needs to be more controlled!”
The periwinkle inaugurated in homage to the history of Medmerry
Inaugurated last week in the Medmerry nature reserve, the Periwinkle Shelter (the periwinkle shelter) is the result of a collaboration between two local artists: Rebecca and Mark Ford of Two Circles Design.
The basic idea was to enhance the beach with a giant periwinkle in reference to the history of the site. When the nature reserve was created, periwinkles had in fact been found in the remains of a fish basket discovered by archaeologists. “The Periwinkle Shelter is inspired by an excavation carried out at the Medmerry site, during which something sublime happened, says John Cross, Chichester District Council member for culture and sport. Several rotundas and cemeteries dating from the Bronze Age – around 1100 BC – have been discovered, as well as a medieval wooden 'kettle' intended to trap fish at low tide using wicker fences.
“A monumental waste of public money”
Unfortunately, the periwinkle made of willow branches is far from appealing to the residents of Chichester, especially since it cost a lot of money. In all, 6000 pounds (around €7200) were necessary for its design and inauguration. “It’s a monumental waste of public money. Couldn't they have made something prettier? It's ridiculous. An absolute farce!exclaims another resident, Solly Everett. Given the amount of sewage in the sea today, perhaps this is entirely appropriate.”
Contacted by the British tabloid The SunChichester District Council did not wish to react.
