Bristol artist Rachael Clerke presents: Transactionland

Bristol-based artist Rachael Clerke works across a multiplicity of mediums, often making playful pieces that occupy a space somewhere between live art and community infrastructure.

Clerke is interested in creating spaces in which we can explore and reimagine what the real world could be like.

Opening on March 9 at Brislington’s most exciting new creative hub and social enterprise, Bricks Bristol, their latest project Transactionland is a 10-day programme imbued with alternative systems.

Together with their collaborating artists, Clerke is challenging and reinventing ideas of mutual aid and exchange, volunteering, and time-banking, asking the question of how, and whether, by rethinking the present, we can reach a more equitable future.

So what exactly is planned for Transactionland? According to the programme, prospective customers can expect a shopping experience, but not as they know it.

Clerke will be hosting workshops, performance, discussion and a ‘doughnut hour’; while 5pm daily will signify the start of ‘shoplift-o-clock’ – in which people will be invited to shoplift goods, all free of charge “if you don’t get caught”.

Rachael Clerke, Transactionland – photo: Ruby Turner

How to use this shop:

• Exercise your purchasing power by buying/swapping/haggling for/talking your way into something from our Transactionland product line
• 12.30-1.30pm is doughnut hour! Join us to eat doughnuts and learn about doughnut economics
• 5pm every day: it’s Shoplift-o-clock! Attempt to sneak something into your pockets without being caught by our eagle-eyed shopkeepers
• Chill out in our gambling den, have a Big Economics Chat with a stranger (we’re all learning together) screenprint your own carrier bag, buy a share in communal bicycle, hang out, read, scratch a scratchcard. That kind of thing

“Transactionland is lots of things all at the same time,” explains Clerke. “It’s a shop and a community space. It’s somewhere that you can learn about doughnut economics whilst eating a doughnut, or try your hand at shoplifting, or have a discussion about the true labour costs of a penny chew. More than anything it’s an excuse to have conversations about systems that affect our everyday life.”

Vijay Patel, from Pull the Trigger – photo: Holly Revell

Collaborating artists in the project include Vijay Patel, who will be leading After Hours Trading: Pull the Trigger After Hours, exploring the histories of migrant-run shops, inspired by his theatre show Pull the Trigger, which toured nationally between 2016-20.

And there will be lots of opportunities for visitors to participate in, explore, and play with ideas throughout the 10 day event. From screen-printing used plastic bags with Jen Conway and Jessy Young, to attending The Debt Gala – a red carpet event with the theme of ‘borrowing’ – there will also be a shared ownership business bike launch, a documentary film screening of Bank Job, and guest shopkeeper Gillie Kleiman selling dances to willing patrons.

JarSquad Assembly will be taking over Transactionland for three hour-long sessions in which participants can turn surplus fruit and veg into jams and preserves. On March 17, visitors will be treated to the exclusive shopping experience of Paula Varjack’s Concept Store, with a bookable VIP hour for personalised sales assistance.

Hunt & Darton – photo: Christa Holka

Bringing Transactionland to a close, guest shopkeepers Hunt & Darton (aka long-term live art collaborators Jenny Hunt and Holly Darton) will be hosting the official Closing Down Sale on March 20.

Ultimately, Clerke is sanguine about the challenges of putting on such an ambitious and multi-faceted event. “It’s a new project for me, and an experiment – some things will work better than others,” they admit.

They are also confident that in Bricks Bristol, Transactionland has found a natural home, saying: “I’m really excited to be able to make this happen at St Anne’s House, amongst everything that’s going on in this new and supportive community space”.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CZ9SHBWoEj9/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Transactionland is at Bricks, St Anne’s House, St Anne’s Rd, Brislington, Bristol, BS4 4AB on March 9-20, at 12-6.30pm Wednesday-Saturday and 12-5pm Sunday (closed Monday and Tuesday), and selected evenings. 12.30-1.30pm is doughnut hour; 5pm daily is ‘Shoplift-o-clock’. For full programme details and how to book, go to www.transaction.land.

Main photo: Rachael Clerke, by Ruby Turner

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