Free ice cream to be given out at one-off exhibition by ‘Scottish Banksy’

Free ice cream will be given out at a one-off open-air gallery exhibition by the ‘Scottish Banksy’ at an industrial estate in West Lothian.

Fusing “urban art and industrial space”, The Rebel Bear is set to unveil his newest and original works at the Mill Road Industrial Estate in Linlithgow.

Launched in collaboration with BOXXS Self Storage, the artist will transform the site into an open-air gallery with large-scale original works painted directly onto the sides of storage containers.

The exhibition will be open to the public for one day only on Sunday, July 6, from 11am to 4pm, with 500 free ice cream cones given out on the day.

The artist's works have been showcased the world over. — The artist’s works have been showcased the world over. Tigerbond via Supplied

Following the free event, selected works from the exhibition will be relocated to a new BOXXS site currently under development. Some of the containers will even be repurposed as office units, allowing the artwork to become a permanent fixture.

“We have always believed BOXXS should be about more than just storage,” said Shaf Rasul, director of BOXXS Self Storage.

“Having such a high profile – yet anonymous – artist like The Rebel Bear use our facilities to showcase his work flips expectations and brings something vibrant to a space people usually overlook.

“We are opening the gates and letting art take over.”

The artist, best known for their Glasgow street painting Fear and Love, has seen his work appear from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Paris and New York.

A source close to the Rebel Bear said: “Painting on containers is a way to turn something industrial and functional into something beautiful. For the Bear, it’s a rare chance to practice his work without the usual police pressure faced by street artists – and we’re excited that people can come see it for free.”