Blackpool’s Comedy Carpet Showcased at Chinese “Tate Modern”

Blackpool’s Comedy Carpet is being showcased internationally at a Chinese design show.

The artwork is included as part of the Design Shanghai 2013 AestheticsCity exhibition at Shanghai’s Power Station of Art (China’s equivalent to the Tate Modern) which is showcasing the work of artists from all over the world.

A large vinyl print of the carpet, along with two videos and some samples of the granite letters, are on display until 30 March 2014 as part of the City of Interface exhibition.

Cllr Simon Blackburn, Leader of Blackpool Council, said: “It’s a real coup that a piece of artwork in Blackpool is being showcased on the other side of the world at one of China’s most prestigious art centres.

“Not only does it promote the cultural aspect of the town to thousands of international visitors, but is also a great advertisement for Blackpool in a country which has the potential to attract thousands of tourists here to see the real Comedy Carpet.”

The Comedy Carpet, and the work of its creator Gordon Young, has already scored international acclaim, scooping the Tokyo Type Directors award in 2012 seeing off competition from more than 350 other international entries.

Mr Young said: “I’ve been amazed at how our communal memory of comedy has been embraced in far flung places such as Tokyo and Shanghai.

“And I’m particularly delighted that the Comedy Carpet is being used as a resource for learning and fun in ways that I never anticipated.”

The exhibition coincides with the launch of a new book about the Comedy Carpet telling the story of how one of the UK’s largest pieces of public artwork was created.

The Comedy Carpet Book, which is on sale at the VisitBlackpool Tourist Information Centre and Blackpool’s GrundyArtGallery, documents the entire process of creating the 2,200m² granite artwork which contains jokes and catchphrases from more than 1,000 comedians.

Cllr Blackburn added: “The Comedy Carpet has been one of the biggest new attractions that Blackpool has seen in years.

“Every time I drive or walk past the carpet you can guarantee that people will be stood reading the jokes and enjoying it as a piece of art as well as a tourist attraction.

“The carpet is well loved by everybody who visits it and also puts Blackpool on the cultural map, with contemporary art experts from all over the country praising the installation.”

The Comedy Carpet, which was opened in 2011, lies opposite The Blackpool Tower on Blackpool’s Tower Festival Headland and was commissioned by Blackpool Council using part of a £4m grant from the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment’s (CABE) SeaChange programme.