London 2012 Olympics: Day starts with peals and giggles in Edinburgh

Published on 28/07/2012 02:00

Big bells, little bells, cow bells and bike bells – Work No 1197: All the Bells, Scottish artist Martin Creed’s latest public artwork and a campanologist’s dream – took place at 8:12am yesterday.

The idea was to herald the start of the Games with as loud a peal of bells, lasting three minutes and created by as many people, as possible.

Big Ben rang 40 times and bells at the Scottish Parliament rang out in unison.

Edinburgh’s Fruitmarket Gallery organised its part of the proceedings on the Scotsman Steps on Market Street. People lined up along the walls and gathered on the landings, bells in hand. When the signal from the top landing came, the ringing started in earnest.

People laughed as they rang; there were jokes about repetitive strain injury and the man whose bell detached from its handle because of his vigorous ringing.

When the three minutes was up, the bells gradually stopped and people giggled and chatted before filing out. As an opening gambit, this was fun.

CLAIRE BLACK