Shot through the art, and you’re to blame

Camberwell’s favourite artist-in-residence, Mark McGowan, is at it again:

AN artist seeking to spotlight waste of water is leaving a cold tap on at full power for a year.

That will waste 15 million litres, at a time when Britain is facing its worst drought since 1976.

But Mark McGowan, 37, who calls himself an artist for the common man, is unrepentant over his ‘creation’, titled The Running Tap.

McGowan, threatened with prosecution over his bizarre protest, said: This will save water by highlighting the waste in homes when people brush their teeth, wash vegetables or shave with the tap running.

His tap is in a kitchen sink at the House Gallery in Camberwell, South London. It began running on Tuesday at two litres every 10 seconds, and the final bill could be £15,000.

I’m guessing the principle behind it is that old marketing maxim, “the more you spend, the more you save.”

Update: If the intention was to provoke, then it’s certainly done that: Running tap art sparks waste row. I was ambivalent before, but I think it’s very clever now.

Author: Peter

Long-time resident of Camberwell, author of this blog since July 2004. View all posts by Peter