Is This The Worst Example Of Canal Art?

[Tim Lewis]

[1st ade]

Dunno. But I'm intrigued by the "Emergency Exit - this way" sign on the bridge parapet above the horse's head - I mean, if you can see it, you're already outside, right?

[Tonka]

Phew !! I thought for a moment someone was selling one of my masterpieces 

[magnetman]

All part of the great dumbing down. 

[OldGoat]

Looks too clean for a working horse.

It's feathers could do with a trim

 

[ditchcrawler]

Looks like we could get something similar Min-festival feel to hit Beccles East Suffolk | Lowestoft Journal I don't even know what a marsh pony is so I may need to go to find out. I don't think we ever had wild ponies in this part of the world.

 

A spokesman for the First Light Festival CIC said: "Located mainly within the New Market area of the town, the centre piece will be a set of three life-size marsh ponies created by local artists Sarah Cannell, Rachael Long and Andy Jarrett.

Most Read

expand_moreMORE

1.  

[Higgs]

Don't think it's dumb. It isn't finished, in my opinion, and could have been better designed. Would give it the thumbs up, on balance. 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 6, 2022 by Higgs

[magpie patrick]

As someone who likes art, but unlike music, I'm no good at it, I don't see what is wrong here. Art is many things, it isn't just to decorate, any more than music is just something to dance to. This piece combines many canal related themes including bring the best known canal folk art in and putting it on the literal work horse that started the industrial revolution. 

That's not to say I like it, but I can see what it's getting at

Edited February 6, 2022 by magpie patrick

[Jen-in-Wellies]

It was only in the days when all narrowboats were horse drawn that all horses on the tow path were painted with roses and castles. Unfortunately, this tradition was lost when motor boats replaced many of the horses and those remaining horses were left unpainted till the end of commercial carrying. Photography on the cut was only common after this change, so many modern boaters are unaware of the tradition. Nice to see the Camden people reviving it. Painting horses used to be very popular. It is no coincidence that George Stubbs was active around the time that the first canals were built.

 

Jen 😀

Edited February 6, 2022 by Jen-in-Wellies

[Steilsteven]

48 minutes ago, Tim Lewis said:

I like it.

 

Keith

[MtB]

I don't think it's a real horse...

 

 

Actually, is it the same horse that used to be standing in the hold of Nick's boat? 

[Captain Pegg]

There is a fundamental error in the decoration (overlooking that it's applied to a horse).

[MtB]

10 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

There is a fundamental error in the decoration (overlooking that it's applied to a horse).

 

Is it the blue?

[Captain Pegg]

6 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Is it the blue?

 

Yes. Well, it's all the colours in the (half) diamonds.

[David Mack]

No scumbling on a wooden horse?

[dave moore]

As a working signwriter and boat decorator, I would have altered the position of the half diamonds on the legs so that the darker red and blue are interspersed with the lighter white and yellow. If, as I suspect, the horse was painted by a signwriter unfamiliar with the traditions then I’m disinclined to be too picky.

[matty40s]

You can tell its a real horse as you can see the tail joint which allows rotation at poo time.

Edited February 6, 2022 by matty40s

[Guest]

Showed my 8 yo granddaughter it and she thinks it's 'cool'.

 

I guess as a way of getting something noticed and talked about its a resounding success.

 

 

Edited February 6, 2022 by The Happy Nomad
Add missing word

[Derek R.]

That's a bit of a shock to the eye. (Hand painted by : https://tinyurl.com/2p8m65zh )

This represents a Shunting horse rather than a boat horse as scores of them were used in and around railway yards in London and elsewhere. So in a way, a little misleading to cover it with boat decoration. Still, catches the eye . . . which could be repelled or attracted.

 

http://www.crht1837.org/history/horsesstables

http://www.crht1837.org/history/stationaryengines

 

The tunnels still exist for the ropeways beneath ground and there were plans to open them up with restaurants and the like, that's if the economy survives the current situation.

Edited February 6, 2022 by Derek R.

[zenataomm]

I like it (but I'm colour blind).

Now if you want to see some really atrocious attempts, look up "bargeware or "barge ware" in eBay.

[matty40s]

Far more appealing on the Rochdale....

[Derek R.]

That's very well done. Years ago there were deer done the same way on the green around Canary Wharf, not as tidy as that though.

 

[David Schweizer]

1 hour ago, dave moore said:

As a working signwriter and boat decorator, I would have altered the position of the half diamonds on the legs so that the darker red and blue are interspersed with the lighter white and yellow. If, as I suspect, the horse was painted by a signwriter unfamiliar with the traditions then I’m disinclined to be too picky.

If it was, as you suggest, painted by a sign writer unfamiliar with the traditions. they have done a fair job. I agree with you about the diamom[nds, but they have clearly studied some more traditional decoration to achive the overall effect, and have included small decorative features such as the Fleur-de-lis on the legs which many people would not recognise as being traditional. The roses are a bit too gaudy for me but are not dissimilar from some seen on boats, on the other hand, the yellow on the leaves is seriously overdone! It is a nice try, but a pity they did not ask someone like you or Meg to do it.

[MtB]

2 minutes ago, David Schweizer said:

It is a nice try, but a pity they did not ask someone like you or Meg to do it.

 

Maybe Dave and Meg both had the good sense to refuse!!

[matty40s]

Unlike these iconic methane machines...