IS this art? That was the question we posed last week in response to a controversial photographic exhibition staged at City Screen in York.

There is no definitive answer. Pretty much anything can be said to be art these days.

As we reported on Friday, York Art Gallery's latest work is Flock, an installation made from turkey feathers. No doubt it will tickle many an aesthete's fancy when the gallery reopens in March.

While we were photographing Flock, a group of visitors gathered round another arresting avian display. The dead pigeon, splayed on the floor of the gallery, was a thought-provoking work. It challenged onlookers to consider the quintessential mysteries of mortality, religion and the spiritual-corporeal frontier.

They mulled these thoughts until the builder who had chucked the lifeless pigeon from the gallery's rafters picked it up and binned it.

TALKING of feathers, those belonging to self-proclaimed grumpy old man Rick Wakeman are regularly ruffled by our fair city.

Last week we reported how the former Yes man collected a meagre 14p when he treated York to an impromptu half-hour busk - although he was heavily disguised.

"I played Madison Square Gardens once and filled it five nights running," huffed Rick, who was taking part in a documentary. "They took a lot more notice than the crowd here."

Now York seems to have irked the veteran musician yet again.

He appeared on Radio Two's Mark Radcliffe Show. Both Rick and Mark share a sordid interest - Manchester City FC.

They may have crashed out of the FA Cup to lowly Oldham Athletic, but Rick insisted he could remember worse days... when Man City travelled to York City and lost.

Less of this York baiting, please Rick. Or we'll demand our 14p back.

EDDIE Vee hits back at Paul Bulmer's claim in the Diary that he has become York's number one Elvis impersonator.

Paul claimed fourth spot in the contest to find Europe's best Presley poser, but Eddie revealed he couldn't take part in the Blackpool sing-off "because I was one of the organisers".

As for the thought of Paul taking his York crown, the Raving Loony said: "He can't do 125 songs like me. He can't perform for three and a half hours non stop.

"But he has got the weight for it. He's heavier than me."

READING our letters page, you may think cyclists are either dangerous lunatics intent on mowing down frail old ladies, or saintly ecologists risking daily car-borne death to save the planet.

So it's good to have this independent assessment of one York pedal pusher, from Clifton reader George Appleby.

"I saw former York councillor Cyril Waite pushing his bike towards Parliament Street down Blake Street.

"It was obviously after 11am, pedestrian only, and about an hour later I saw him tucking in to a plate of good fare at St Sampson's.

"I went over to tell him there was no one of his age who had contributed so much to the city, among the Lib Dem luvvies, who might be seen riding a bike into York then pushing it the right way down a one way city centre street to exercise his membership of the Senior Citizen's Dining Club with a plate of pie and peas at 80p.

"He enjoyed that so much that he went without his apple pie and custard.

"Can you imagine the all powerful Steve Galloway or Ann Read doing the same? They might try to slap a charge on Cyril's bike if they hear about this.

"Sorry Cyril."

Updated: 08:46 Monday, January 17, 2005