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Michael Landy - Lemon Meringue, 2024
'Lemon Meringue' celebrates traditional and newly invented Cockney rhyming slang phrases in a series of fluorescent signs positioned across East Bank.
Unique to east London, Cockney rhyming slang is a form of speech which replaces common words with a rhyming expression – instead of ‘stairs’, you climb ‘apples and pears’, for example.
The artwork reflects the area’s rich and creative past, while acknowledging the fluid ways that language can evolve. For the project, Michael Landy worked with spoken-word artist Jonzi D to create a handful of new terms that speak to more recent diasporic influences on this area of London.
Michael Landy, Lemon Meringue, 2024
Located near the river, Lemon Meringue (rhyming slang) presents 24 fluorescent signs. Each one connects a phrase from Cockney rhyming slang to its surroundings through everyday aspects of local life. It combines iconic examples like 'Apples & Pears’ (stairs) and ‘Rosie Lee’ (tea) with more recent versions like ‘Custard Jelly’ (telly) alongside contemporary phrases re-imagined by the artist in collaboration with spoken-word artist Jonzi D such as ‘Jollof Rice’ (nice).
Find out more on Cockney rhyming slang here and the oral history project Voices of East Bank www.eastbankvoices.co.uk
Rhyming Slang Translation
- Duck & Dive for Skive
- Dog & Bone for Phone
- Scooby Doo for Clue
- April Showers for Flowers
- Pete Tong for Wrong
- Chew the Fat for Chat
- Adam & Eve for Believe
- Butcher’s Hook for Look
- Joan of Arc for Park
- Ball of Chalk for Walk
- Chicken Jalfrezi for Crazy
- Cream Crackered for Knackered (tired)
- Ronnie & Reggie for Veggie
- Rosie Lee for Tea
- Apples & Pears for Stairs
- Drum & Bass for Place
- Kick & Prance for Dance
- Custard Jelly for Telly or Television
- S Club 7 for Heaven
- Bobby Moore for Score
- Jollof Rice for Nice
- Horse n Carriage for UK Garage (or Marriage)
- Clock em n Pree for See
