Middlesbrough shoppers left bemused as CCTV speakers start making nonsense broadcasts
- 2 years ago
Middlesbrough shoppers were left bemused today when CCTV speakers started making seemingly nonsense broadcasts.
Passer-by Emma Martinez was walking through the town centre at around 2:30pm when she started to hear a voice.
She said: "I think someone had hacked into the sound system. I think they were talking about BP but not sure as I did not catch what they said.
"People were looking, but not everyone could make out where it was coming from."
One broadcast started "Good morning, good morning, good morning, and what a lovely day it is. Rise and shine. Rise and shine," before playing jolly jingle music.
Another, sounding like the voice of Boris Johnson, said: "We intend to unite and level up across the while of our United Kingdom."
Andrew Glover, of Middlesbrough Council, explained: "This is a temporary installation as part of Middlesbrough Art Weekender.
"The speakers will be used for one hour a day between now and Sunday."
According to the weekender's programme brochure, the broadcast appeared to be the 'LOL' performance, listed as "a sonic intervention through Middlesbrough's CCTV surveillance network."
Created by Sound Art Brighton artist Olivia Louvel, it is described as such: "At sites in the centre of town, passers-by can hear political slogans, news headlines - read by the AI voice 'Kate' - and the sounds of protest, reflecting the current state of political affairs in Britain."
Passer-by Emma Martinez was walking through the town centre at around 2:30pm when she started to hear a voice.
She said: "I think someone had hacked into the sound system. I think they were talking about BP but not sure as I did not catch what they said.
"People were looking, but not everyone could make out where it was coming from."
One broadcast started "Good morning, good morning, good morning, and what a lovely day it is. Rise and shine. Rise and shine," before playing jolly jingle music.
Another, sounding like the voice of Boris Johnson, said: "We intend to unite and level up across the while of our United Kingdom."
Andrew Glover, of Middlesbrough Council, explained: "This is a temporary installation as part of Middlesbrough Art Weekender.
"The speakers will be used for one hour a day between now and Sunday."
According to the weekender's programme brochure, the broadcast appeared to be the 'LOL' performance, listed as "a sonic intervention through Middlesbrough's CCTV surveillance network."
Created by Sound Art Brighton artist Olivia Louvel, it is described as such: "At sites in the centre of town, passers-by can hear political slogans, news headlines - read by the AI voice 'Kate' - and the sounds of protest, reflecting the current state of political affairs in Britain."