The art world is often accused of being impenetrable, but what about this for a cryptic installation?
The yellow neon sign appeared recently at St Alphage Garden — that recently landscaped area on London Wall with the Minotaur and pedways.
Here's the message. Can you work out what it means?
1MA8Wopde19HbANkJHnuu76LGbooQHLnuP
Perhaps 10% of passers-by will immediately 'crack the code'. The other 90%, which initially included me, will probably be baffled. Answer below.
Got it? The glowing art is actually just a bitcoin address. Roughly 5% of the UK population have dealt in bitcoin, but the percentage is probably higher here in the Square Mile, with so many financial and tech companies nearby.
The work, by artist Frederike Top, is called Code. It's an active address that can be used to make a donation to a food bank charity.
The installation forms part of Illuminocity 19/20, a low-key festival of light sculptures around London Wall Place and Principal Place (Shoreditch). See it until 17 January 2020.
With thanks to Tim Callaghan in the Londonist Urban Oddities forum for the tip-off.
