In keeping with the theme about street names, monuments, statues, and other forms of public acknowledgement of great people, and how the definition of who or what is great is very much dependent on your perspective, Bowie Street in Austin, named for a historical figure important to Texan Independence, was "renamed" as a kind of street art, by people who created a decal to modify the existing sign to honor musician David Bowie, after the announcement of his death. See
"SXSW founder and sign maker: We changed “David Bowie” street sign," from the Austin American-Statesman.
The music industry is a key component of the city's cultural identity and creative economy, as mentioned in the previous post about David Bowie and music in the city a couple days ago, so this is an interesting and fun way to acknowledge David Bowie, albeit without sanction by the city and much faster than could occur through formal channels.

This could be a spur for Austin to do something similar around music.
Good site.
ReplyDeleteBTW the name is pronounced BOO- EE
ReplyDeleteand not BOW- EE as the celebrity does it- he is wrong- I am related to the family of the real Jim Bowie and BOO-EE is the ancient and proper way to say this name.
yep, reading vs. pronounciation.
ReplyDeleteThe name of Bowie, Maryland is pronounced as you say, just as here Chevy Chase, Maryland is pronounced Chehvee, not like the nickname for the Chevrolet.
FYI from WCP last week--well worth the visit:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/artsdesk/music/2016/01/12/when-david-bowie-came-to-silver-spring/
-EE