Sign up or login now! You'll be able to join in the conversations, earn Kudos, and have fun in your city!

Bus Stop Potato Art. Spiky spuds on east London buses

Slim

Posted by Slim over 4 years ago
Last active over 4 years ago 13 responses

You may have noticed, if you sit on the top deck of the buses that run through Old St and Shoreditch, a bizarre tuber based art phenomenon. Someone has been taking the time to paint potatoes, skewer them with brightly coloured toothpicks, earbuds and seemingly anything that comes to hand, and then deposit them on the top of bus stops throughout the area.

They’re ace, pointless and always strangely pleasing. My question is though: Who is doing it, and why? They’ve been around for a long time, so thankfully it doesn’t look like some godawful viral stunt, there is someone who genuinely gets their rocks off on root veg.

Something that worries me though. Recently I have seen what appear to be poor imitations, shadows of the original spuds. Has our mysterious benefactor disappeared, or has the torch been passed to a new Chipshop Kid?

Atom feed | Digg this | Newsvine

13 responses

tickledpink

YES! I have seen them, and not just in Old Street/Shoreditch, they are in Clapham too, have always wondered what they are. Glad someone else has seen them, thought i was going mad…..........

Posted over 4 years ago by tickledpink

BraveNewMalden

Have any appeared at Tuber stops?

sorry.

Posted over 4 years ago by BraveNewMalden

iSleepDiagonal

Only those near bus roots.

Posted over 4 years ago by iSleepDiagonal tipped with 1K

tickledpink

Tuber?

Posted over 4 years ago by tickledpink

BraveNewMalden

Yes, Tuber stops. Such as on the Baked-erloo Line.

Posted over 4 years ago by BraveNewMalden

Chez

Only if they are Black Friared.

Posted over 4 years ago by Chez

BraveNewMalden

Or near Mashion House.

jesus.

Posted over 4 years ago by BraveNewMalden

Mockernee

The potato represents the earth. The toothpicks had fruit and nuts on them, to represent earth’s bountiful harvest. The red band around the middle represents the blood Jesus shed for us. The candle is the light of His love shining down on us. And the whole represents a confused crispingle.

Posted over 4 years ago by Mockernee

Raverator

Perhaps they have different types near Parsips Green.

please. make. it. stop.

Posted over 4 years ago by Raverator

iSleepDiagonal

Just round the corner from Yammersmith Broadway.

Posted over 4 years ago by iSleepDiagonal

snuffles

Some short-arse from the Guardian seems quite keen on what he’s calling the ‘spudniks’… http://arts.guardian.co.uk/art/visualart/story/0,,2074228,00.html

Posted over 4 years ago by snuffles

AdrianCooper

I don’t use the bus much, what with being in walking distance of nearly everything I ever do. Other than Camden. Could you point me towards some of the bus stops, I feel like finding a way to see them?

Posted over 4 years ago by AdrianCooper

Mockernee

The last ones I can remember seeing were on Mare St, near Cambridge Heath station. Get a bus from there towards Old Street and you should be in luck.

Posted over 4 years ago by Mockernee