London Hosting "Random Acts of Ping Pong"
Steve Parkin / Ping! London
A Ping! London table in the St. Pancras International railway station gets played during a kickoff event last week.
LONDON — A project that kicked off in London last week hopes to create "random acts of ping pong" in public spaces across the city. Ping! London has placed 100 tables around the city for passersby to engage in a quick game with friends or strangers.
The four-week event is being produced by Sing London, who last year placed 23 pianos around the city with signs reading "Play Me, I’m Yours."
Colette Hiller, creative director for Sing London, told ABC News last week that she believes the tables will act to connect people in the city. Her group has even organized social events such as "Singles for Singles."
London will host the 2012 Olympics, and Ping! is one of a number of sport events taking place around the country in the years leading up to the games.
But why should such a great idea have to wait for an Olympics? Who wouldn't enjoy a ping pong table in the middle of Pershing Square? Could a table in the City Hall rotunda give city electeds a little extra extra pep in their day?
Participatory events like ping pong and pianos seem like an idea whose time has come for Downtown.
Dennis Smith on July 28, 2010, at 10:29AM – #1
British artist Luke Jerram, in conjunction with Sing For Hope, arranged for the installation of sixty pianos on the sidewalks of New York City last month, each piano individually hand painted and adorned with a sign bearing the invitation, "Play me, I'm yours". The pianos were distributed on streets, parks and plazas throughout the five boroughs. The instruments were an instant sensation as passerby pianists found themselves accompanied by spontaneous sidewalk serenaders. Wherever you walked you might be surprised by some guy showing off his limited chops on "Chopsticks" or the more accomplished practicing Chopin or "Trois Gymnopidies". The used pianos have now been donated to schools and charitable organizations.
p.s. The London Olympics are scheduled for 2012
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on July 28, 2010, at 10:51AM – #2
Oops. Good catch, Dennis. Fixed that date.
Karin Liljegren on July 28, 2010, at 09:26PM – #3
I hope this inspires some of us to do something fun and creative in downtown. Ideas for us? Who has resources to something to supply in quantity?
Guest on July 30, 2010, at 11:58PM – #4
Bring ping pong to DTLA! My hubby will woop yo ass!
Jasmijn on July 31, 2010, at 10:06AM – #5
I've been wondering about the ping pong table that's been in the entry of the Standard Hotel, between the elevators and the front doors, for the last couple of months or so. Never seen anyone playing it, but perhaps it's there for this sort of random interaction?