Brexit Bags

 ‘Who’s laughing Now’ aka Brexit Bags

Laughing sacks are uncanny items sold in jokeshops in seaside towns like Margate across the UK. For me they were the perfect small audio device to subvert and reinvent, as kind of playful homage and to the ongoing pain that is Brexit. The Lachsack (“Laugh in a Bag”) was invented by German Walter Thiele (born 1921) his first version was made from a sock as a joke, he subsequently made millions selling them. The original ones unlike the synthetic ones today were made of Jute sacks. My Brexit Bags are made from ethically sourced flax sacks handmade for me by fellow artist and flax grower Vicky Putler. I imagined them as the perfect way to share portable voxpops. When squeezed they ask the question deal or no deal and emit an insane cackle by the artist. This sound work is fully activated when multiple bags are squeezed at once, and is highly therapeutic.