My Megastore - solo show of site specific works at Virgin Megastore, London

Carey Young, 2001.

My Megastore featured a series of site-specific works by Carey Young in Virgin Megastore on Oxford St, London. At the time, this was the largest entertainment store in the world. Works were featured on the digital communications, retail and display systems across the store, and considered notions of 'rupture' in relation to systems of corporate control (retail, communications, branding, marketing, operations) at the point where they meet public visibility.

Selected list of works:

Raise Your Passion for Product
2001. Till receipts, information from the Virgin Megastore staff training manual. Dimensions variable. Unsigned edition of 300,000 or more. Signed edition of 20.
This work featured a sentence, 'raise your passion for product', which was taken from the Virgin Megastore staff training manual and printed on to all the store's till receipts for the duration of the show. During the private view, during which the store remained open for business and crowded with customers, the artist was available to sign a limited edition of 20, which necessitated the initial purchase of a product from the store.

Personalisation
2001. 'Motivation Power' Paul McKenna personal hypnotherapy CD, Virgin Megastore instore radio station.
This work gave instore radio airtime and thus significant promotion to an item of Virgin Megastore stock which was selected by the artist and which did not normally receive any airtime. The artist selected Paul McKenna's personal hypnotherapy CD 'Motivation Power', and this was played in full on the instore radio station during the private view, whilst the store was also open to customers.

2001. Always Smile at the Customer
Electronic text on shop tills, Virgin Megastore customer training manual.
Sentence derived from Virgin Megastore staff training manual and placed on to all in-store LCD till displays, facing customers, for the duration of the show.

Workflow
2001. Video, 7 mins 30 seconds; colour.
Video,  showing close-up of Virgin Megastore product-wrapping conveyor belt, was synchronised across all 16 in-store video monitors and interrupted the official music video playlist at random intervals during the exhibition.

Buy-in
2001. Video, 25 minutes; colour, sound.
Video documentation of performance by Carey Young to Virgin Megastore staff, in which she explains the works in the forthcoming show, stressing that their participation is essential to the audience’s understanding of the works in the store. This video was exhibited on instore viewing screens.