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[BBC News] Norse street art back on display


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A piece of street art, representing Norse time will soon be displayed on the Isle of Man's capital.

 

Source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/...man/8248234.stm

 

 

Is that like Hammer Time but with beards?

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I quite liked it until I saw the Yen / Euro / Dollar symbols on it, then I just felt embarassed and ashamed of what the island has become, not quite sure how those symbols represent 'Norse Time' ??, still its a great shape and looks good from a distance

 

Why was it moved from Villiers Square ?, was it because its almost perfect for Skateboarding up - how could they not have realised that !!, guess thats why they've put it where they have now

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I quite liked it until I saw the Yen / Euro / Dollar symbols on it, then I just felt embarassed and ashamed of what the island has become, not quite sure how those symbols represent 'Norse Time' ??

 

Agreed.

Given the rich history of the Vikings, their culture and religious mythology - Ragnarok, Bifrost, Yggdrasill and so on, what symbols do they use?

TT and some pound signs.

Dross.

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I quite liked it until I saw the Yen / Euro / Dollar symbols on it, then I just felt embarassed and ashamed of what the island has become, not quite sure how those symbols represent 'Norse Time' ??

 

Agreed.

Given the rich history of the Vikings, their culture and religious mythology - Ragnarok, Bifrost, Yggdrasill and so on, what symbols do they use?

TT and some pound signs.

Dross.

 

 

I have to agree, they should have used authentic symbols.. its more "Outlander" Style than actual Norse.

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Agreed.

Given the rich history of the Vikings, their culture and religious mythology - Ragnarok, Bifrost, Yggdrasill and so on, what symbols do they use?

TT and some pound signs.

Dross.

 

I quite like the actual structure itself, but yeah the symbolism is a bit crass. Part of the problem is that a lot of people who commission these things, and often the artists themselves don't have much imagination. It's all so literal - Isle of Man = "Bikes + Money + Vikings, so stick something vikingy with bikes and money on it". Someone could glue a stuffed manx cat toy on the top without worrying about making the sculpture any less subtle.

 

Previous generations would look to things like classical myths as a potential source of symbolism, making use of a keen eye for that which doesn't just convey an intended message for those interested enough to look for it, but also contributed and complimented the aesthetic style of the piece. By comparison, this kind of thing isn't that distant from sticking up a plaque that simply states "Welcome to the Isle of Man. Vikings used to live here, but now we have motorbike races and cash".

 

Having said that, it's nice enough in its own right. It's just slightly annoying because it could probably be something so much better.

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Agree with what you say.

The structure itself is quite beautiful and clearly represents the prow of a longship - the design of which must be one of the most graceful modes of transport ever conceived - but it's the tat they've chosen to adorn it.

 

Like you say it could have been so much more.

 

Mind you even as it now stands, got to be much better than the placky shitehawk. Whoever thought that was a good idea should seek help.

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I quite liked it until I saw the Yen / Euro / Dollar symbols on it, then I just felt embarassed and ashamed of what the island has become, not quite sure how those symbols represent 'Norse Time' ??, still its a great shape and looks good from a distance

 

Why was it moved from Villiers Square ?, was it because its almost perfect for Skateboarding up - how could they not have realised that !!, guess thats why they've put it where they have now

 

 

I suspect there was bit of a standoff between Douglas Corporation and Royal Bank of Scotland over the Town Square. that never really lived up to expectations eg water feature that looks like a urinal.

 

I think the Villiers plot AKA Douglas Town Square is now up for sale.

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Never understood where the 'town square' idea came from... throwing some concrete down on a bit of wasteland doesn't make it somewhere nice to sit - especially when overlooked by the back of KFC.

 

It needed a nice bit of landscaping with some ornamental foliage plants to add interest and colour. The sunken gardens just over the road show what can be down in a small area.

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Never understood where the 'town square' idea came from...

it was 'developer speak' to impress Douglas councillors to allow the demolition of the Villiers and the partial replacement by a hideous office block - the only solace was that whilst permission was originally given that the full site would be used, only half was built - yet another example of why you should never trust property developers.

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