Created by artist Gordon Young, and designed in collaboration with Why Not Associates, the Comedy Carpet is a celebration of comedy on an extraordinary scale. Referring to the work of more than 1000 comedians and comedy writers, the carpet gives visual form to jokes, songs and catchphrases dating from the early days of variety to the present. Sited in front of Blackpool Tower, the 2200 square metre work of art contains over 160,000 granite letters embedded into concrete, pushing the boundaries of public art and typography to their limits.
More information is on the Comedy Carpet Official Website:
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It was unveiled by Ken Dodd in October 2011. BBC News report:
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Controvertially, a portion of the carpet (including the dedication) was destroyed by the council after five months, being deemed unsafe due to the proximity of the tramlines. Guardian report:
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