News

Aug 10, 2023

Urinal appears on the side of Sonning bridge over River Thames

A urinal has appeared on the side of a bridge in an apparent protest at the water quality of the River Thames. The installation has been added to Sonning Bridge, in Berkshire, by the anonymous artist

A urinal has appeared on the side of a bridge in an apparent protest at the water quality of the River Thames.

The installation has been added to Sonning Bridge, in Berkshire, by the anonymous artist Impro.

It is the latest in a string of works he has attached to the side of the same bridge, with previous additions including a telephone and a post box.

The artist joked his latest work was causing the council to ask questions about the urinal's usefulness.

Impro also directly referenced Thames Water, which has recently faced criticism over sewage discharges and leaks.

Other works by Impro include Santa Claus seemingly stuck in a giant post box on an Oxfordshire roundabout last December.

Another fake post box on the same bridge as the urinal confused Sonning residents - including entertainer Uri Geller - when it popped up in 2013.

It even forced Royal Mail to issue a statement saying it was not real, and any letters posted using it would not get delivered.

The next bizarre addition to the bridge was a black front door, complete with a floating doormat, prompting one resident to row up to the door to knock on it.

Then in 2021 a telephone appeared on the same bridge, with an "Emergency Flood Line" sign above it.

As with the other items, the urinal will have to come down as the bridge is a listed structure, which means it is protected and any alterations must be approved by Wokingham Borough Council.

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