Contained inside a vertical 20ft matte black shipping container, a series of 34 individually designed light box and neon signs lined the walls of the confined space. The reflections bounced off the black mirrored interior to create the illusion of the glowing signs rising up infinitely.

The title was taken from the Manic Street Preachers classic ‘Motorcycle Emptiness’, and also the 1988 Patrick Jones poem of the same name. During the residency, James Dean Bradfield performed an acoustic rendition of the 1992 single inside the installation.

The piece was also accompanied by a soundscape which featured field recordings from Shinjuku, Tokyo, at night. Mixed by long term collaborator Cian Ciarán, (Super Furry Animals, Das Koolies).

The installation was part of, and commissioned by, Cardiff City Music Festival, for which James also designed the branding, it stood in the centre of Cardiff’s Central Square for 3 weeks during October/November and attracted over 16,500 visitors.

Photography by Mary Wycherley @Two Cats In The Yard