King Of The Bottletops In Spitalfields
Robson Cezar
Have you seen the bottletop man at the corner of Hanbury St? You might not notice him among the regulars that gather on the pavement outside The Golden Heart but, when the crowds thin out, he is still there, standing sentinel and keeping watch along Commercial St after everyone else has gone home.
Yet, in the morning, he is ready to welcome visitors even before the pub opens and stands patiently like a Guardsman while tourists take each other’s photographs beside him. This new presiding spirit of the neighbourhood is the latest work of Robson Cezar, Artist and Spitalfields resident, known as the King of the Bottletops, pictured here by Contributing Photographer Sarah Ainslie.
Meanwhile just a hundred yards away, another beloved Spitalfields institution, Mama Thai the cafe and noodle bar in Toynbee St, has acquired a sparkling new fascia of seven thousand bottletops.
If you would like to meet Robson Cezar and learn how to do it yourself, you can visit him at Spitalfields City Farm where he is Artist-in-Residence from Thursday 21th August until Sunday 7th September. Come along to the farm any weekday (except Mondays) between 10am and 4pm. Introductory workshops take place between 11am & 1pm and between 2pm & 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Everyone is welcome to turn up at the free weekday sessions but places at the weekend workshops must be booked by email to Rossana@spitalfieldscityfarm.org
Robson Cezar and Sandra Esqulant, Landlady of the Golden Heart
Robson Cezar made the bottletop man in his own image
Robson Cezar conjures the bottletop man into life
Robson the bottletop physician
At the Golden Heart
Collecting bottletops at the Carpenters Arms
Robson and Raj Chawla at Mama Thai, before the new fascia – it all started with the sandwich board
The corner of Brune St and Toynbee St
The celebrated Pam Chawla, Mama Thai herself, stands holding Raj’s arm (standing second from left)
Photographs copyright © Sarah Ainslie
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An excellent idea with a perfect graphically transposition!
Love & Peace
ACHIM
Love the Mama Thai signs!
Love the bottle top art! Valerie
Walked past Mama Thai’s this morning – signs look great, very eye-catching and just right for a small business such as this.
How I love quirky things like this, wonderful stuff, and all power to Robson Cezar’s elbow.
Looks much better than the old sign… Well done.
Fab! I chuck bottle tops into the recycling bin, but now seeing new novel ideas with bottle tops by the very clever Robson Cezar, well done you! I will try and make something of them in the future.
Robson – so great to see you out on the street creating new work, looking forward to what might be round the next corner. Sarah