Had a great time at The Other Art Fair last week. Massive thanks to the organisers for getting me involved, especially Sophie, Gina, Ryan and Jessica and for the life-saving and ridiculously generous help from Justin Carroll, Alison Johnson and Hannah Logic, and also hello to all the amazing people I met (including the brilliant Pandemonia, see below) and all the advertisers I tried to convince to quit their jobs.
Last weekend saw Pocket Money Loans setting up shop in the middle of Newcastle city centre. The reactions were mixed to say the least.
I've done this project in five different locations now. Like the first installation at Atom Gallery (London) and the store at Roskilde festival, the Newcastle store was intended to appear as if this might actually be happening, mixed in among the shops. Whereas Dismaland and Glastonbury were both set up in areas where people expected sarcastic art around every corner.
My favourite reactions in Newcastle included the man walking past as we'd just set up who said "Oh shit off!" to himself as he passed by. And the man who came in and told me I was sick and this is sick before running off. I had to chase him down the road shouting "It's not real!" - although the prank element is a large part of it, the joke isn't supposed to be on the people who get mad about it, they're the good guys.
Massive thanks to everyone at the Newbridge Project who made it happen, especially Hannah, Dean, Dave, Joe, Charlotte and Rebecca. Also massive thanks to Tom Straughan for helping me set up, David Jones for his driving skills, Roxxi, Lucy Glover, Skotty (JaZZ RiOT), Charlotte and Rebecca for getting inside the mascot costumes.
I was interviewed on BBC Newcastle about the project. You can listen below.
It was also featured in the Chronicle local paper, click the image below to go to the story.
