A towering winged demon statue and massive, faded red letters spelling “KONG” across a weathered industrial facade mark the entrance to a new immersive installation dedicated to the iconic band Gorillaz.
Set alongside a cobblestone street, the pop-up exhibition transforms a large brick and metal warehouse into a physical recreation of the group’s chaotic, animated universe.
Upon stepping inside, visitors are equipped with over-ear headphones to navigate the multi-room, audio-visual experience. The space is heavily stylized, shifting between stark red lighting and dark corridors that reflect the band’s distinctive aesthetic.
Inside the Virtual Studio
The interior feels like stepping straight into the band’s fictional headquarters, with every room packed with details that make the animated world feel surprisingly real.
Fans can wander through galleries lined with framed black-and-white character sketches and colorful animation stills featuring the group’s virtual members. In one intensely red-lit room, a standard drum kit sits on display, its bass drum stamped with the same Pazuzu demon motif found on the statue outside.
Elsewhere, the experience takes a decidedly dystopian turn, recreating a security control center straight out of the Gorillaz universe. A sprawling grid of monitors covers the wall, each screen playing grainy CCTV footage while casting an eerie blue glow over a cluttered workstation.
And the desk itself is almost suspiciously detailed: an old tube television, scattered paperwork, pens, a coffee mug and a tiny desk fan all sit exactly where you’d expect them, creating the uncanny feeling that a security guard could walk back in at any moment.
The Camper Van Scene
The installation also features a large-scale indoor diorama centered around a weathered retro camper van. Decorated with a pink winged demon mural across its side, the trailer sits in the middle of a deliberately chaotic campsite that feels like it was plucked straight from one of the band’s music videos.
Mismatched folding lawn chairs, a silver beer keg, a retro boombox, coolers and even a deflated green kiddie pool are scattered around the vehicle, creating the kind of wonderfully grimy, lived-in scene that makes the Gorillaz universe feel tangible.
Throughout the venue, digital screens and oversized projections bring even more movement to the experience, playing animated sequences and atmospheric visuals behind the physical sets. Visitors can explore the spaces at their own pace, stopping to snap photos in mirrored rooms, getting an up-close look at original artwork and taking in all the little details tucked throughout the installation.
The self-guided journey eventually wraps up beneath a glowing red neon sign reading “HOUSE OF KONG,” a fitting final stop for a tribute to the band’s legendary fictional recording studio.