David Bowie’s Hometown Could Erect a Giant Lightning Bolt in His Honor
If a recently launched crowdfunding campaign is successful, David Bowie's hometown will greet millions of visitors a year with a 30-foot lightning bolt paying tribute to his life and legacy.
The BBC reports that the Brixton memorial, nicknamed the "ZiggyZag," would stand opposite the town's public transit station on Tunstall Road — making it "likely ... the first thing most visitors to Brixton would see when completed." The project comes courtesy of This Ain't Rock 'n' Roll, the same group previously responsible for the "Brixton Pound," Bowie-emblazoned currency developed to support local businesses.
Calling it "bold and ambitious," Lambeth Council leader Lib Peck expressed her support for the idea, pointing out, "Brixton has become central to David Bowie's huge legacy, so what better place for this stunning and imaginative memorial to this locally born legend?"
"This is a wonderful opportunity for the international David Bowie community to come together to deliver a heartfelt thank you," adds This Ain't Rock 'n' Roll's Charlie Whitehouse. "A thank you to a man who changed our lives – and changed the world. A thank you not from government, nor from industry, but from us. The people. The fans. Us ordinary weirdos who were never quite the same again after meeting the Thin White Duke."
The campaign has gotten off to a quick start, but the tab for the memorial won't be cheap — the organizers are hoping to round up roughly $1.2 million over the course of a month, which might be a little more than "bold and ambitious." Still, if the plan does come together, it'll pay a suitably striking tribute to a one-of-a-kind artist. To help chip in for the ZiggyZag, visit the campaign's crowdfunding page.
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