It's the time of year when the kinds of thing that are done with light are very like those which, if done with a spray-can, would have boys up in front of the magistrates. Above Regent Street there is a parade of panels peppered with blue lights. Large snowflakes flick on and off. Cut-outs of a cartoon sabre-tooth tiger, mammoth and sloth advertise the cartoon Ice Age 2: The Meltdown - even light needs a sponsor. Is the graphic style of cheap wrapping-paper really the best that shopkeepers who cherish their brands like jealous husbands can do for their flagship stores?

LRB 15 December 2005 | PDF Download