Britain’s Pop Ups

Résumé 0

This article explores the pop up phenomenon in the context of turn-of-the-century Britain, namely objects of visibility which have appeared and then, even more importantly, disappeared in public space. The pop up phenomenon, which has been a popular object of study for cultural geographers, while also commanding attention in marketing and public policy studies, evokes a composite and sometimes contradictory imaginary: the temporary, the alternative, the exclusive, the democratic, the experimental, the low-budget, the luxurious, the insurgent. They are short-term shops, makeshift cinemas, or plug-in restaurants, their temporary quality granting them the seductive aura of trendiness. But these are not just venues or outlets, their ephemeral nature and incongruous siting have turned them into experiences, transformative happenings which provide more than simply what they present or sell. Their added value comes from the inspiration they draw from guerrilla events, from in-between cultural occupations and from new public art and its ephemeral, site-specific interventions outside the gallery. By looking at recent examples of short-term interventions in public space which have been described as pop ups, and by exploring the latter’s roots in activist and artistic practice, I wish to explain the appeal of the pop up as well as its relationship to a city in flux. At stake is the question whether the possibility remains for artists to resist the control of forces at work outside the institution, in the streets or buildings they like to explore. Indeed, is it still possible for artists—the actual pioneers of the pop up—to tap into the creative potential of the interim occupation of empty spaces after the latter have been instrumentalised by public authorities, monetised by business and by fashion brands, and, probably more importantly, used by real estate developers to hike up prices?