The Wilde Bunch

The Wilde Bunch from John Smyth on Vimeo.

There is a bench in Shop Street in Galway city bookended by statues of two writers – Oscar Wilde and Estonian writer Edward Wilde. It’s a favourite spot to take a breather from shopping – probably because it is the only public bench on the street. It is also a favourite posing spot for visitors.
As this short, time-lapse video shows (it was taken in November 2008), the bench and figures fulfil the most important requirement of any public piece of art – how do the public interact with the pieces. And boy, do they interact (watch out for the kids at the end of the clip).

The video was taken by my trusty Canon G9, plonked on a tripod between me and a litterbin on the street, so no-one could trip over it (no one seemed to notice it either). I have public liability insurance for my photography, so if I were to inadvertently kill you in the street with my tripod, your next-of-kin could sue me and buy that villa in Tuscany they’ve always dreamed of – a win-win for everyone!