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Venus, OIL & Eros.

kriptick | 17.02.2008 14:16 | Social Struggles | London

Traditionally, tourists flock to Piccadilly circus to experience the bright and colourful but insanely expensive high tech billboard adverts. Yesterday however, Operation Infinite Love reclaimed the space beneath the statue of Eros for people and partying. The tourists absolutely loved the party in preference to those soulless repetitive animations promoting greedy destructive corporations. OIL is all about reclaiming love from the Valentine's day profiteers - the chocolate, card and flower producers. OIL proclaims loudly that love should always be free and is the answer to nearly all the world's problems whereas corporations and their violent lust for ever greater profits are the cause of so much injustice and environmental destruction.

Venus and Eros surrounded by OIL
Venus and Eros surrounded by OIL

Developing an early sense of rhythm
Developing an early sense of rhythm

The wind section of the musicians
The wind section of the musicians

Trombone needs a bit of brasso
Trombone needs a bit of brasso

Jamie the sampling wizard
Jamie the sampling wizard

Adverts have little influence today
Adverts have little influence today


some amazingly colourful dancers
some amazingly colourful dancers


As captured by Eros
As captured by Eros

Partying into the night
Partying into the night


Stars of the show are Venus and her band of volunteers who must have been working very long hours to organise this annual event. Musicians, Rhythms of Resistance drummers
 http://www.rhythmsofresistance.co.uk/
and mobile soundsystems provided the sound entertainment. A wonderfully colourful assortment of dancers provided the visuals. Most impressive part of the day is when the whole of the centre of the circus was completely cleared and everyone - including all the tourists who'd just stumbled into the event - willingly linked hands in a giant circle around the perimeter for five minutes.

Looking forward to next year and especially 2015 when Valentine's day falls on a Saturday and the event goes truly global. Love and respect to all - except the pickpocket who tried to dip into my camera bag in the dense crowd right near the fountain.

kriptick
- Homepage: http://www.reclaimlove.net/