The huge orange traffic cone is somewhat of a Glasgow symbol at this point, a tradition that has lasted since around the 198os. However, the cone on the Duke of Wellington Statue has been replaced with a wee statue of a pigeon reading a newspaper with a tiny cone on its head by a local artist known as “Scottish Banksy”, The Rebel Bear last week.
The new installation didn’t last long, as locals have now put a huge cone over the pigeon installation in a true Glaswegian fashion, with only its tail and legs left visible.
Over 30 years until it was made legal, cone removal cost Glasgow City Council tens of thousands of pounds, yet the people of Glasgow kept putting it back. The cone has become OUR THING, just like Stirling and Edinburgh Castles are symbols of their cities.
What is more, in 2011, the cone was named as “one of the most bizzare monuments on Earth” by Lonely Planet before the Glasgow Council made it legal in 2013.
And now, the Duke of Wellington Statue has entered a new era, with the cone being replaced with a bronze statue of a pigeon reading a newspaper, still with a tiny cone on its head. The pigeon is reading its wee copy of The Daily Dropping, with news of a Seagull Gang getting caught and the bench poop crisis deepening. However, the installation did not last long, as there is already a cone placed over it.
The Rebel Bear is famously known for their Glasgow street painting Fear and Love, and has created work in other cities like Edinburgh, Paris and even New York.
The Rebel Bear has announced the new piece on Sunday night (November 16), posting on Instagram: “The dignified and undignified beasts. Located: well, youse know where.”
Commenters online welcomed the new change with a bang, saying things like “This needs to stay!”, “That’s so rad 🔥🔥🔥” and “You are awesome again! How beautiful is that!!!❤️”