Grayson Perry might be joking when he claims the Tower of London turned down a proposal to install 800,000 ceramic puppies (yes, puppies) in its grounds– but we firmly suspect he isn’t.
The Turner-winning artist, who recently built a “secular chapel” in honour of an imaginary Essex woman named Julie, would have received popular support judging from the reaction to an unhappy tweet explaining that the London monument would rather he didn’t fill its moat with china dogs.
My proposal to install 800,000 ceramic puppies around the Tower of London has been turned down
— Grayson Perry (@Alan_Measles) July 23, 2015
His mischievous proposal is a nod to last year’s Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red installation which marked the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War. Artists Paul Cummins and Tom Piper filled the grassland surrounding the Tower with 888,246 ceramic poppies which were later auctioned on eBay.
Grayson Perry dedicates his Essex home to Julie
The moving tribute, which raised £10 million for military charities, was not without controversy after artists Cummins and Piper reportedly received death threats from people angry that the armed services stood to benefit from it.
Each ceramic poppy signified a British colonial or military death during the conflict and the exhibition attracted more than 4 million visitors.
It is unclear why Perry’s proposal was rejected but clearly the gravity and seriousness of the First World War exhibit is not something it would like to be seen to mock.
In pictures: 'Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red' poppy installation in London
But judging from the responses to Perry's twitter account (he tweets under the guise of his teddy and mascot Alan Measles), there will soon be a campaign to install his ceramic puppies in London somewhere.
Several people have joked that his idea is far from beyond the realms of pup-ability and that the Tower has got to be "barking mad" to find it "inaPUPriate". Others have claimed today as "National Puppy Day" and cat-lovers have suggested kittens might be more suitable.
The Tower of London is yet to return our request for comment.
