TV Props
My Alastair Darling money box has now been
presented to Mr Darling himself. Channel 5 presented him to the Treasurer as a
keepsake. Alastair apparently was pleased with the gift and intends to display
it at Number 11. I am pleased that this sculpture has been given a suitable home
to go to!
Five Live describes the coverage, "The Five
News Alistair Darling money box has caused a bit of a stir. The two foot papier
mache model became a minor celebrity around the budget as he popped up in pubs,
petrol forecourts and next to fancy cars".
Read on to find out the full story............
This has been a busy week. My recent Papier Mache Sculpture of Alastair
Darling for channel 5 News, Budget coverage has become a celebrity.
The character was featured on many of 5 news'
bulletins during the day and caught the eye of many newspapers including the
Telegraph Business News and the front page of the Metro. He was also featured as the masthead
for the channel 5 budget news on their website and as the masthead for the TV
coverage of the budget. Matt Etheridge, a Channel 5 news producer, commissioned
the sculpture and was praised for his innovative idea. He described the coverage
as a 'triumph'.
This sculpture hit the spot, symbolising the current media
descriptions journalists have used lately to describe Mr Darling. Why, even last
November, Charles Giovanni Vanzan Coutinho, a member of the Royal Institute of
International Affairs in London, wrote:
"The front bench of the self proclaimed,
'Ministry of All Talents', has proven to be a damp squib, if not a complete
joke. With the Iron Chancellor, being succeeded by the papier-mache
Chancellor (Alistair Darling), as being the most illustrative instance of
worthlessness of the current cabinet."
If you missed all the fun, catch the video
here.>>news coverage
Here is a clip from one of the newspaper
articles which covered it.
The sculpture measures 21" high and is very strong. The
television company filmed the darling little fellow in numerous situations
including Downing Street, a pub, a grassy "green" venue, by an expensive car, as
well as many other situations. Click and enlarge this thumbnail to see where
'Alastair' was filmed.
The press had a field day and when he turned up for filming outside 11
Downing Street, the photographers went crazy. When the team returned to Downing
Street on the afternoon of the budget, the press officers were not amused and
asked the little fellow and his crew to leave with a stern "No stunts" message.
How was he made?
Alastair was finished and mached completely of Financial
Times. I find this the strongest and best way to complete my sculptures. He was made as a
'piggy bank' money box, with a hole in his head. I started with two balloons,
so one could truly say he was a bit of an 'airhead'.
After completing him, I took him on a walk around the common near where I live,
taking photos of him in different venues. I certainly got some interesting
looks.
Here I am finishing him off! This was a
seriously rushed job and I was busy painting
all through the Saturday night before the budget.
The Londonist featured the picture as their
lead story (see left) and the Telegraph featured the model in their
'Picture of the Day', captured by photographers outside 11 Downing street. The Metro,
London's biggest circulation free paper, captured it on their front page with the headline: "It's true, he
really is a puppet chancellor".
Please click pictures to enlarge.
It was good that this papier mache sculpture was featured on the front page of
March 15th edition of The Richmond and Twickenham times, as it gave a bit of the
story behind the sculpture and how I have found the whole experience.
The story continues on numerous websites and
has quite a cult following.
Comments on Channel 5's website include:
Comment: Alan: Wednesday, 12 March
Brilliant, saw model in paper - spitting image of the darling.
Comment: Vicki: Thursday 13 March 2008
Genius! I saw it on the front cover of the metro but didn't know who it was.
