I visited Robin Loxley's Banksy-burning Sheffield art show and it was like nothing I've ever seen

I was among those who visited the latest Robin Loxley exhibition at Forge warehouse on Effingham Road in the city, which was due to finish with the burning of a Banksy print that had been donated to the artist.

Apparently, the burned ‘Banksy’ was an unsigned screen print that was previously used in a shop for advertising sales of prints

Robin decided to set it alight as, he said: “Destruction is a form of creation. This now has a new form.”

Like Banksy, Robin's real identity is a closely guarded secret, but those visiting the exhibition were certainly not making any secret of their enthusiasm for a show which is not like any other art exhibition I'd seen in the city.

Yes, there were pictures on walls. But this is very modern art, with a large number of installations.

Entering the venue with disorientating music playing along the corridor, you enter the huge room to be confronted by a man watching television on an old-style settee, roped off.

He's part of the exhibition. While I was there, one enthusiastic visitor climbed over the rope to sit with him.

That was Jennifer Bulcock, the director of Penistone Film Festival, who said she loved the Robin Loxley show.

Moving on, the installations continued, with an upside down room, furniture suspended from the ceiling and an upside town television on the wall. Next was a mock-up moon landing scene, with a pair of jeans used in place of an American flag on the flagpole next to the astronaut.

The scene was being filmed by cameras, which sent grainy footage to a mocked up control room. I understand it symbolises how difficult it is to believe what you're seeing in the new era of deepfakes and AI pictures.

The walls contain art of all sorts and genres. Paintings based on Sheffield and South Yorkshire celebrities, paintings based on road signs. Painted slogans, and paintings which look expressionist. But there is certainly a variety.

One corner had a machine where you could put 50p in to get a number. Next to it was a box containing £500. If your number is the combination for the box, you get the £500.

It’s not what you usually see at Weston Park or The Graves!

There was also a corner full of fairground games. They included hoopla with spray cans, and a stall inviting you to hurl a wooden ball at porcelain and china plates, to shatter them.

I was offered a go. I felt really uncomfortable with the idea, because I was brought up not to break things. Eventually I went along with it, had a go, and still felt bad. But apparently that is the point of the work. It brings out that emotion.

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I’ve been to art exhibitions in Sheffield many times before. Some I’ve loved, others I’ve been less enthused by.

But this was like nothing I’ve ever been to in the city before. I’m no expert in art, but this was a fun experience, and by the look of it, some of the young children who had come to the show with parents seemed to be enjoying themselves with some of the interactive elements, such as a spinning arrow that formed part of one work.

With the artist apparently raffling off a large number of his works to visitors - at least one who is said to have come all the way from Ohio, USA, especially - it may just help people get engaged with art.