London Noses

The London Noses are small plaster noses attached to buildings in Soho and the surrounding area. They were made by artist Rick Buckley in 1997 as a quiet protest against the spread of CCTV cameras. About thirty-five were put up at first, but only around ten remain today. The noses stick out from walls in an odd way, as if someone pressed them into the plaster while it was still wet. Some sit high on grand buildings, others low on shopfronts, always catching the eye. The noses were never officially explained, so stories grew up to explain them. One tale says the nose at Admiralty Arch was meant to mock Napoleon, and cavalrymen used to tweak it as they rode past. Another myth claimed that anyone who found all seven noses would be lucky. The artist himself never told anyone where they were, so the search became part of the fun. Visitors can still spot the noses on seven streets: Admiralty Arch, Great Windmill Street, Meard Street, Bateman Street, Dean Street, Endell Street and D'Arblay Street. Each one is a small, surprising detail in the city’s ordinary streets. Looking for them turns a walk through Soho into a quiet treasure hunt.