Thursday, July 26, 2012

The Fire to End All 2012 London Spectacles



      
      London is a great city known for its wonderful culture and appreciation for the arts, which is obvious when considering the many public spectacles put on throughout the entire city. Upon completion of the tallest building in London, the Shard, there was a not-so-magical, but still colorful opening night in which assumedly thousands of Londoners went out to see. The infamous red phone boxes seen on almost every street throughout London have now been handed over to wonderful artists who have turned these once-necessary landmarks into works of art seen through the city. There are numerous outdoor markets that are spectacles in themselves with all of the crazy people there selling wild items and foods, and some even have outdoor plays viewable by the public. Most of Southbank in itself is a spectacle. From the outdoor skate park that is decorated with lively graffiti, to the street performers doing everything from dance to rap and juggling, to the food carts designed to be art in themselves, and to the late-night fire show. The fire show enabled those in attendance to walk through several large canisters of fire and lit torches. Unlike the art phone booths, the fire show brought the audience’s participation into the event and made everyone feel a part of the demonstration. Like art seen on walls or watching a play that does not include the people in attendance to do anything but look at the scene, some of the aspects in London are not for people to work with, but like the street markets and the fire show, there are also multiple things through London that takes the spectators on a journey in which they will soon not forget.

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