IF you’ve spotted unusual objects and oddly placed postboxes across Portland this week, don’t worry – you aren’t going mad. It’s all part of b-side Festival and features works by Alistair Gentry, Katarina Rose and other artists.

Alistair’s The Portland Office for Imaginary History, and Katarina’s Marrying the Land exhibitions are running all week until September 18 as part of the arts festival on Portland.

Alistair Gentry is a writer and artist – sometimes other things, too. The work he makes is often subversive, startling and occasionally even fascinating.

For b-side 2016 Alistair’s exhibition will offer stories and souvenirs from an alternate Portland at b-side HQ in Fortuneswell. The installation is Alistair’s response to a call from b-side to imagine an alternative Tourist Information Centre for Portland.

Real and imagined information intertwine, sites and souvenirs related to things that never happened on Portland. You won’t see Portland in the same way ever again. The artist has drawn inspiration from stories from the last time he visited Portland.

He said: “Everyone had a different story and experiences. Talking to people and tourists I got to know a lot about the place and people and I grew to love it.

“I wanted to fill in the blank spaces and if something didn’t happen somewhere I would create imaginary stories and encourage people to explore a bit more and use their own imagination.

“They are all completely made up but are in the same vicinity of myths.”

His inspiration comes from historical and contemporary folklore, esoterica and Forteana of Britain, Europe and Asia, traditional oratory and storytelling, legitimate mainstream sciences and the fringe or pseudo-sciences that go along with them.

He likes creepy old mannequins, broken toys, silly costumes, museums, absurdity and making technology do things its manufacturers wouldn’t approve of.

Alistair said he hopes the art piece will give back to the island.

He said: “I hope it gives back to Portland as I really love it here and the people.”

For Katarina’s installation, an unusually placed postbox with a small golden key on the edge of Portland is capturing people’s imaginations. Open it and find an illuminated world of an ancient custom of Portland.

  • Visit b-side.org.uk for more.