A fireside interactive situation examining the bureaucracies of exchange, commissioned by the Big Chill Festival 07, C6's yurt bank accompanied a lantern lit fireside lounge. As the kettle boiled on the fire those around the fire sipped their expensive mint tea engaged in conversation.

Sweet Mint tea was available at the price of £2300, a price that guaranteed participation in our false economic system. Visitors opened accounts helped by C6 staff within the yurt bank. These accounts were granted dependant on answers given to a series of typically random C6 ethical questions, on each customers success the withdrawal of funds became possible. The currency could then be exchanged at the fireside for our tea. (right) Napoleon Gomez holds the customers at bay with a lengthy appointment process.

The currency was designed in collaboration with Thea Brine an illustrator often seen within the pages of The Guardian, (one of the festivals media partners). The note was a two sided hand silk screened limited edition, its imagery an eclectic mix of world tea culture and social, political issues of the day. The note was printed on a heavy gauge satin giving it an aesthetic and collectable weight. So collectable that an early policy of issuing one note to each customer was soon found to flawed as no one exchanged them for our tea. This was soon rectified by issuing multiples, ensuring that our tea shop did some business and our notes were circulated within the system.

Attempts to rob the bank during the weekend were numerous. Several were thwarted, however two attempts were successful we are currently looking for the whereabouts of two principle suspects, any information leading to the arrest of these individuals will be rewarded by those doing the fingering being labeled as grasses. If you have any information on the characters shown below please hesitate before in getting in touch!

Bennito Chunkolini Prince of Darkness		Alan Goodrick AKA Gimpo

Our wish was to start a wider dialogue about the purpose of art, the nature of collecting, arts worth and the bureaucracies that pervade all arenas of life, alternative or not. These were its starting points but it was hoped that this gift economy, and engagement of the public would enable new friendships and connections to be created around the fireside, the traditional heart of the community.