New years eve in Copenhagen turns into an outdoor party after midnight. We all gather to watch fireworks, and one of the most popular meeting places is Queen Louises Bridge. Every year the party grows a little bigger and more organized, but there are always music, bonfires, fireworks, broken glass and some degree of vandalism. As I passed the bridge yesterday afternoon, I saw a crew setting up a big stage across from my other favorite statue Young People Sitting. I wish I was able to hover over my friends all night, and keep them safe, and I have often wondered why the city would not take measures to protect them on nights like these. There is always someone with a can of paint or a fat marker itching to leave his trace. On my friends. Heartbreak every single year. If only they could be protected. And then I finally did it. Skipped the "if only" part, and acted out my old plan:
Running out of plastic bags and tape... this would have to do. Two things could happen: either people would recognize it as an act of love and let it be, or they would see it as a provocation and vandalize it even more.
Before going home, I stopped by the bridge at five in the morning, and it was a mess. Packed with cleaning crews and trucks mopping up after the festivities... I was afraid to look up.. but my experiment worked! It worked, it worked, it worked!
Today:
Yaaaayyy, I am deliriously happy.
What a way to start the new year.
♥
Posts
Good job. Just what are friends for ...
ReplyDeleteI am so happy to have made a difference, if just for one night.
ReplyDeleteThat was very nice of you, Sandra!! :D If only your experiment encouraged the authorities to do it from now on...
ReplyDeleteSmuk gestus, tak. Og godt nytår!
ReplyDeleteHvor fint! Du er en god ven.
ReplyDeleteHi X,
ReplyDeleteOr even better: if we all showed those vandalizing the statues (and the bridge itself) that people care about them a lot. I am not even sure they know that as it is. And maybe if the city had covered them up all "right", that could have been seen as a provocation more so than my clumsy coverjob? I don't know. In any case, if someone doesn't beat me to it, I will wrap them again next year. :-)
Tak Amalie, så hyggeligt. Og selvtak knaptsaauniktsnefnug. Det er allerede et godt nyt år, hurra.
ReplyDeleteFantastic!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! Sometimes it's important to act when you know nobody else will to protect something that's important. Here's a morning glass of champagne on New Year's Day, just for you. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteDu er min helt!
ReplyDeleteSå sejt :)
ReplyDeleteHurra for at gøre noget!
ReplyDeleteYou´re a street artist too, Sandra!!
ReplyDeleteYou are so sweet, all of you! Just imagine what a year this will be, with all the ideas waiting to come alive, haha.
ReplyDeleteBert, that actually could be fun, to go in full protect mode at high risk events. And even take it further, with the litter situation as well. I would love to come up with a way to make our streets a cleaner place.
Nice!! Happy New Year!!
ReplyDeleteExcellent Sandra, this is a great thing you did ! In Paris probably they would have been taken off by the police within 5 minutes or you'd have been arrested for vandalism. But Paris statues are pretty safe.
ReplyDeleteWish you the best year ever, and I don't forget our little talk about april...
Oh and we'll call you the Christo protector of statues :)
ReplyDeleteAh, Carole, April... :-) One of the things I love about Paris is how you take care of your city. It is like you know it is a special place, to be treated with gratitude and respect. I can't even imagine anyone tagging a statue or a historical monument, they way it is done here.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sandra!
ReplyDeleteHahaha. Hvor er det sejt. Du reddede dem.
ReplyDeleteVild lykke, altså! :D
ReplyDeletedu rører mit hjerte -igen og igen- og det her gav både tårer i øjnene og inspiration til fremtiden: walk the talk og gør din "lille" indsats, sikke en flod af dejlighed vi så alle kunne flyde ned ad<3
ReplyDeleterigtig godt nytår til dig skønne sandra classic<3
knus von muttilove
Excellent idea, Sandra!
ReplyDeleteApart from preventing the senseless tagging of the statue, the wrapped version almost has a street art statement in itself. Protection from the outside world, like a cocoon!
I agree with Bert - you're a street artist :)
This is amazing and such a clever idea! Congrats, I'm so glad it worked!! :)
ReplyDeleteÅh Muttilove! Hvor er det sødt af dig, bliver helt glad nu. Og sjovt nok er jeg selv blevet inspireret til at rykke meget mere på mine ideer. Vi skal helt klart bare blive ved med at "smitte" hinanden. ♥
ReplyDeleteHi Drumstick, I just wanted to stretch the materials to the limit, but for my next project, if it is a cover job again, I will keep the artistic impression in mind as well. Can't wait! :D
Hi Lauren, I am happy it worked too, it still feels crazy good. :-)