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 blacksmoke - a post-terrorist xmas gift shop
 to access audio and video on collective you need real player.Something for someone special at London’s Aquarium Gallery. It’s not surprising that James Cauty (a founder member of The Orb, The KLF and K-Foundation, a group of “art activists” notorious for burning £1m) wasn’t impressed by recent government advice on possible terrorist attacks on British soil. This exhibition created by his “imagined art collective”, Blacksmoke, plays with the idea of a post-attack world during the Christmas shopping season.Blackoff is the first post-terrorist Christmas gift shop, filled with items designed to “keep your mind sharply focused on the enemy while you enjoy the festive season”. Playing with sentiments of spiritual and religious celebration against “government-induced terror”, the items range from 50p to £5,000. They feature, among other cultural symbols, icons and information from the through-the-door Preparing For Emergencies pamphlet. My favourites included Climate Of Fear Chocolates (“Store in a cold dark place and only eat when scared”) and the Bunker Buster Jigsaw Puzzle. A Christmas single, I’m Dreaming Of A Black Christmas, can also be pre-ordered and picked up on Christmas Day. The image created here is of a Britain led by a gas-masked Queen and huddling in sooty bunkers. In an innovative, involving way it does bring something home about the views held by the distributors of this advice, HM Government. And, however serious the situation is, I suspect its wry humour won’t be lost on many visitors. Blacksmoke - A Blackoff Post-Terrorist Xmas Gift Shop is at the Aquarium Gallery, London, until 25 December 04.
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related info
 useful linkswww.aquariumgallery.co.uk preparingforemergencies site wikipedia: k-foundation
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