A cross between a scavenger hunt and a micro exhibition is coming Warrington Museum and Art Gallery this month.
Ste Kilb – better known by his moniker Waspdodger – has teamed up with five other Warrington artists to hide a series of tiny artworks around the galleries in the style of a ‘reverse Louvre Heist’.
The ‘exhibition’ is called Covert/Overt and is at the Museum until 5 April.
Ste’s idea was simply to infuse a little fun and mischief into the Museum experience – as if the artists had snuck into the building to conceal their works
Visitors will also have to be eagle-eyed as the pieces are so small they would all fit on one piece of A4 paper.
Ste, who lives in Orford, found inspiration for the project after spotting a Star Wars toy in the Museum’s Cabinet of Curiosities last year.
He said: “It was part of a treasure trail and a nice touch in relation to Chris Rose’s toy photography exhibition that was on at the time.
“It changed how I was interacting with the Museum, like I was in on a secret – so this micro exhibition grew out of that experience. I want people to turn detective for a few minutes while they figure out what’s afoot.
“The artworks are in the centimetres though so pack your glasses, some binoculars and a molecular microscope if you have one!”
Covert/Overt is the latest collaboration between Ste and Culture Warrington – the arts charity behind Warrington Museum.
He has previously had his humorous comic-style work exhibited at Pyramid Arts Centre alongside artist and satirist Cold War Steve, and in the past couple of years has been commissioned by Warrington Museum to visually portray stories relating to VE Day in a new way.
Ste added: “I’ve done a few bits and pieces over the years for Culture Warrington, and I’m over the moon that one of the oldest municipal museums in the country is joining in on my little joke. Gentle mischief is the aim.”
Many of the artists involved are part of an art group that Ste set up at the now-closed Eagle and Spaceman pub.
Ste said: “Each artist was handpicked due to the fun and humour their work evokes, I’m very proud of this line-up and can’t wait for people to see the experiment in action.
“This micro exhibition was initially conceived to be similar to a reverse Louvre Heist, like the local artists have barged in and slapped the artwork up and run away.
“We’re just pretending to be iconoclasts, honest. I’m hugely thankful to everyone for playing along.”
Covert/Overt is at Warrington Museum until 5 April and you can pick up a series of clues to get you started when you enter the building.
Anyone inspired by the exhibition can also follow the artists on Instagram:
@waspdodger // @jaunty.art // @fromdraws2funnies // @catding_art_hk // @cosmic.fables // @stef_woof_illustrates
