The Battle of SHARKS! - Summary

Summary

Here is a concise summary of the text:

**Title:** The Saga of "Sharks!" - Art vs. Planning Permission in London

**Summary:**

* A person stumbles upon 5 large shark sculptures ("Sharks!") in a London canal, sparking curiosity.
* Investigation reveals "Sharks!" was the winner of Antepavilion's art competition, deliberately provocative amidst a history of disputes with the London Borough of Hackney over planning permission.
* Hackney, alerted by a Guardian article, obtained an emergency injunction to stop the installation, but 4 sharks were already in the water.
* A bureaucratic battle ensued, with Antepavilion embracing the paperwork as part of the art.
* The sharks were eventually relocated to the Islington Boat Club, but now face removal by the end of the month due to unspecified reasons, with a possible future on a transportable barge.

Facts

Here are the extracted key facts, each with a number and in short sentences:

1. **Location**: The events took place in London, primarily in the London Borough of Hackney and later in Islington.
2. **Art Competition**: Antepavilion held an art competition that was won by "SHARKS!", a piece featuring five full-scale sharks.
3. **SHARKS! Installation**: The winning piece was initially installed next to a warehouse in Hackney, but later moved to the Islington Boat Club.
4. **Previous Winners**: Previous winners of Antepavilion's art competition include "H-VAC" (a disguised roof sitting area) and an inflatable yellow barge.
5. **Potemkin Theater**: Another winner was the Potemkin Theater, a single wall serving as a backdrop for a rooftop stage.
6. **Conflict with Hackney**: The installations led to a dispute with the London Borough of Hackney over planning permission.
7. **The Guardian's Article**: An article by The Guardian about "SHARKS!" was published, which Antepavilion claimed contained "defamatory misquotes" and "deliberate misrepresentations".
8. **Emergency Injunction**: Hackney obtained an emergency injunction to stop the installation of "SHARKS!", but four sharks were already in the water.
9. **Conservation Area**: The warehouse is located in a conservation area, which Hackney controls and enforces, including deciding what can be built.
10. **Relocation to Islington Boat Club**: "SHARKS!" was relocated to the Islington Boat Club, which had offered to host the installation, citing water rights in their section of the canal.
11. **Condition for Relocation**: The relocation was contingent on the Boat Club informing Antepavilion of any bureaucratic issues that might arise.
12. **Current Status (at time of document)**: The sharks were located at the Islington Boat Club, near a primary school and public playground.
13. **Imminent Removal (at time of document)**: The Islington Boat Club later requested that "SHARKS!" be removed by the end of the month, citing unspecified reasons.