The Big Egg Hunt, Part 2: 'The Grand Eggstravaganza'

At the risk of being tediously repetitive, I feel I have to blog about the Big Egg Hunt again….it is Easter after all. This weekend was the 'Grand Eggstravaganza' in Covent Garden's piazza, where all 210 of the decorated eggs were displayed.  I still didn't manage to find them all (which greatly upsets the obsessive side of my personality), but I wanted to share my top 5 favourites of the ones I did see.*

*My amateur photography skills in no way do these eggs justice!

5. 'It Is But It Isn't' by Andrew Sturgeon

There was something about the rusticity (or was it just rust?!) and the use of negative space that drew me to this egg.  Having since read Sturgeon's description, I now understand that it represents different stages of life -- including birth, the decay as we age (represented by the missing segments and tarnished exterior), and the youthfulness we carry inside even in later years (represented by the polished interior).  I'll happily admit that I didn't decipher any of that myself when I saw it, but it was one of only a few eggs that I felt I could realistically live with long-term. I hope it's not too derogatory to say that I could imagine it sitting perfectly as a sculpture in my garden?!

4. 'Alpha Egg of London' by Joanne Holbrook

Despite (or maybe because of) this being one of the more light-hearted and seemingly child-targeted eggs, I spent by far the longest time looking at it.  It's great to see such a simple concept so charmingly executed, and the imagination that went into compiling such a comprehensive alphabet of London is impressive by any standard.  I can even forgive the tenuous 'X is for OXO Tower' for the inspired 'S is for apples and pears'.  Great fun.

3. 'On/Oeuf' by Oliver Clegg, and 'Metropolis' by Rob & Nick Carter

Technically two eggs, I know, but it was the combination of the two together that made them so striking.  The brightly coloured neon of Metropolis shining through the clear glass lightbulb of On/Oeuf was mesmerising, and reminded me of spending far too long decorating the Christmas tree, arranging and rearranging fairy lights behind glass baubles trying to get the best effect.  For me, On/Oeuf also wins the best egg pun hands down (and trust me, there were a LOT of bad egg puns to choose from!)

2. 'Egg Letter Box' by Benjamin Shine

In contrast to Andrew Sturgeon's deep meaning, I had to admire Shine for simply imagining a weird parallel universe where everything is egg-shaped.  I love the Egg Letter Box and its nod to such an iconic British structure.  It made me feel nostalgic for my young letter-writing self, and the wonder of communicating with penpals on the other side of the world simply through one of these post boxes. My favourite detail, though, has to be the apt EGG monogram.

1. 'The Birth of a Legend' by Theo Fennell

There's not much to say about this one. I just love unicorns, so Fennell's egg takes the top spot for me.  Apparently it symbolises the current renaissance of craftsmanship, but the main reaction it inspired in me was an outbreak of Agnes's Despicable Me song:  'unicorns I love them, unicorns I love them, uni- uni- unicorns, I loo-oo-oove them'. Thank you Theo Fennell for making me smile today.