Facing zombies – The Walking Dead: Art Apocalypse

The Walking Dead a long running zombie series is returning to Fox 11^th February for it’s second half of it’s ninth season.  As to get fans excited agency Premier Comms bought to London’s Old Truman Brewery (8^th / 9^th February) a zombie lovers interactive pop up called ‘FOX’s The Walking Dead: Art Apocalypse’.

As I am a huge fan of The Walking Dead and anything to do with zombie’s I just had to pop on down to get a selfie or two with walkers and learn further about what happens behind the scenes to my favourite zombie series.

Guests will be able to view and interact with walkers (zombies), pose within recreated set scenes and play with an assortment of replica props.  There was also plenty of artwork and photos on display, which I must warn is not for the faint hearted.

The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead is a zombie drama and has been airing on our screens for nine years since the cult series kicked off back in October 2010.  The show has always provided memorable and shocking moments keeping zombie fans on the edge of their seats. However in Walking Dead zombies are called walkers by the survivors of the apocalypse.

The drama is based on a comic book series which is written by Robert Kirkman.  The Walking Dead tells the story of the months and years after a zombie apocalypse and follows a group of survivors who travel in search of a safe and secure home.  

The series is executive produced by chief content officer Scott M. Gimple, showrunner Angela Kang, Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, Dave Alpert, Greg Nicotero, Tom Luse and Denise Huth.

This February the second half of season 9 will find the groups of survivors, both old and new, continuing to deal with the impact of events that took place during the six years that have passed. Since the disappearance of Rick, many of these characters have become strangers to each other, and in some ways, strangers to themselves. What they do know is that they are in undeniable danger. They will soon realise the world just beyond does not operate as they thought. The group’s rules and ways of survival no longer guarantee their safety. A whole new threat has crossed their paths, and they soon discover it’s unlike any threat they have encountered or endured before. The group will start to question what they think they see. What may appear to be normal in this post-apocalyptic world could actually be more disturbing and terrifying than when the apocalypse first broke out. All that is certain is the stakes are high and numerous.

Art Apocalypse

Don’t open, dead inside

Approaching the doors to this pop up exhibition all I could hear was zombies moaning and screaming and I thought what have I let myself in for?

Fan art

Firstly I came across a wall full of fan art.  There was over 20 displayed pieces of art shown which were all shortlisted at a national fan art competition which was held in October last year. The winners were chosen from over 800 submissions and the judging panel included Executive Producer, Director and Special FX Make-Up Designer Greg Nicotero.

At the time of judging Greg Nicotero commented

“Even after ten years I’m still blown away by the response we get from the fans of The Walking Dead and it’s been incredible seeing them respond to the show in such creative, passionate and emotional ways.  The imagination and artistic expression that went into the many entries was beyond impressive and it’s a real tribute to the legacy of the show, which is really down to the fans.”

Make up

Next was a make up department where guests could get a make under by one of the prosthetic experts.  Unfortunately I could not transform myself into a zombie as I was going onto another event after so I just watched others get transformed into a zombie.

Buried walker

Next it was time to pass a trapped walker who had been buried by an avalanche of boulders.

Screening

Upon taking care passing the trapped walker was a mini pop up cinema where fans can watch some classic scenes from The Walking Dead and a video on behind the scenes.

There has been so many memorable scenes from The Walking Dead but the ones that always stick in my head is the time Rick woke up from a coma and wondered what had happened to the world, when Carol (Melissa McBride) lost her daughter to a walker, when Carl (character played by Chandler Riggs) had to assist in his mother’s birth, when Glenn (character played by Steven Yeun) got his head battered in by a baseball bat swung by Negan (character played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan), when the tiger tried to save his master Ezekiel (character played by Khary Payton) from a group of walkers and when Carl died due to a walker bite.  

The Governor’s lounge

Within this set scene I got to pretend that I was the Governor (character played by David Morrissey) whilst I sat back pondering what my next zombie head for my display of decapitated zombies heads might look like.

Then it was off with my head as the real Governor caught me trying to be him, oops.

Daryl Dixon motorcycle

Sitting on this replica motorcycle which the character Daryl (character played by Norman Reedus) rides in the series. 

I have a thing for Daryl and so I took my mind drifting thinking if only he was there and if only I could be his girlfriend, swoon.

Terminus

I got to interact with a scene with live walkers where Rick (character played by Andrew Lincoln) and others had to escape not just walkers but also cannibals.

So on with a replica of Ricks famous Sherriff’s hat and time to take down some walkers.

Walker heads

There was on display prosthetic stages of turning a human’s face into a walker.

Photos

There was plenty of photos from key behind scenes shots from filming over the last eight years, showing the cast and crew bringing the world of The Walking Dead to life.

These are two of my best shots.

I just love how the horse is taking a rest along with Andrew whilst filming in between scenes.

Just shows that even zombies need an umbrella to protect themselves from rain. Also this photo was quite appropriate as well this photo as today in London it was raining.

Love Walking Dead, walkers, Daryl and LOVED this pop up

I loved this pop up as it was very entertaining with it’s many opportunities to grab a selfie in one of the replica set scenes, viewing artwork, looking at set photos, and learning fun interesting facts from thrilling audio-visual displays. 

I love zombies and horror movies. However this pop up was not for the faint hearted.

Zombie love forever.

Decayed

This pop up was only on for three days in Truman Brewery with a private VIP launch which happened on Thursday 7^th February and open to public who are 18+ on Friday 8^th February 12-7pm and Saturday 9^th February 10am-5pm.     

This pop up was all to celebrate and get Walking Dead fans excited about the return of season 9 which returns to FOX Monday 11^th February at 9pm.