The Art Of Laughter: Art Car Boot Fair Returns To London With A Comedy Theme

Art lovers can expect a day of humour-infused art world antics this autumn as the Art Car Boot Fair rolls back into London’s King’s Cross with The Comedy Edition. In an era where global conflict, political division, and cultural anxieties can make life feel like a dystopian, Orwellian novel, art has the power to offer both sharp commentary and joyful escape. The 2025 edition leans into that spirit, bringing together a vibrant mix of artists who celebrate humour, satire, and the comic in their work.

This year’s Comedy & The Comic theme promises cutting-edge contemporary art, mischievous humour, and live performances. Artists including Vic Reeves, Mr Doodle, Rankin, Modern Toss, Pam Hogg, Dion Kitson, Abigail Fallis and many more will descend on Lewis Cubitt Square at Coal Drops Yard on Saturday 20th September, transforming the space into a joyful pop-up art and comedy festival.

Where High Art Meets the High Street

The Art Car Boot Fair has always been a quintessentially British hybrid: part art fair, part car boot sale, and entirely unpredictable. Founded by Karen Ashton, the event is known for its riotous atmosphere and rule-breaking spirit. Ashton explains the thinking behind this year’s theme:

“This year’s theme Comedy & the Comic is all about celebrating the lighter side of creativity. In uncertain times, humour is a powerful tool, and artists are the best jesters, critics, and storytellers around. Expect the unexpected!”

Art Car Boot Fair has made a name for itself through an unexpected mix of emerging and established artists, and in past editions Turner Prize winners have exhibited next to rising stars, or fine artists beside street artists. All the work is exclusively commissioned for the event and offered at for-one-day-only prices, sold directly from the boots of cars (or in the case of Mr Doodle from a converted school bus) by the artists themselves.

It’s an approach that collapses the boundaries between high art and the high street. Past editions have seen icons like Tracey Emin and Sir Peter Blake selling their work to delighted collectors and casual passers-by alike.

Comic Legends and Rising Stars

Among this year’s star attractions is British comedy legend Vic Reeves, also a prolific artist whose work has shown at the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition, Saatchi Gallery, and Whitechapel Gallery. Known for his love of ornithology, Reeves has created entire series devoted to birds, even spawning a TV show and book of bird illustrations. Of his art, Reeves says simply:“Art is my life and I’m not kidding. It is.”

Another major draw is Mr Doodle, the doodle-covered phenomenon with over three million Instagram followers. Once a struggling artist selling drawings for £1, his work is now sought after. Last year he “doodle-bombed” the Holburne Museum in Bath and created doodle paintings inspired by historic portraits in the collection.

For his Art Car Boot Fair debut, Mr Doodle will arrive on a yellow American school bus completely covered in his signature doodles, present a live drawing performance, and launch signed copies of his new double picture disc vinyl record.

Mr Doodle says he’s driven by the joy of art: “A lot of art can be quite serious, sad, and sometimes dark. Watching my toddler make art–smiling, laughing, expressing joy–inspires me. I want my art to be fun and happy. Making someone smile and laugh or feel more positive about their day is such a great feeling.”

Other highlights include cult cartoon satirists Modern Toss, joining the line-up for the first time with their bold, irreverent graphics, and legendary fashion designer Pam Hogg, whose star-studded client list spans Debbie Harry, Bjork, Rihanna and Lady Gaga. Rising star Camille Phoenix, just 17 and already featured by Vogue, will also return, having first shown at the fair aged six.

Renowned photographer Rankin, famed for shooting everyone from Kate Moss to David Bowie and Queen Elizabeth II, will offer visitors the rare chance to have their portrait taken by him on the day.

Meanwhile, Jealous Gallery will showcase works by comedian-artist Noel Fielding, including portraits of Kurt Cobainand Bob Dylan, while Dion Kitson arrives on the heels of a five-star The Guardian review and viral jewellery collaboration. Comedian Joe Lycett praises him as: “funny, beautiful, and dumb…Dion Kitson understands the state of the nation better than anyone.”

Kitson will also bring street art provocateur Foka Wolf and artist-comedian Tat Vision to the fair.

Over 120 artists are set to take part, including Heath Kane, Sara Pope, Juno Calypso, Susie Hamilton and Russell Herron. Alongside the art stalls, there’ll be plenty of offbeat entertainment including; Obsessed Art Kids Drawing Club run by Preston Paperboy; The Misfortune Teller offering darkly comic prophecies; #RenaissanceSelfie portraits in full Renaissance regalia; roaming female clowns and a live comedy open mic.

It all adds up to what the organisers call “art at its most alive”, a place where seasoned collectors can haggle for a masterpiece, and newcomers can discover something extraordinary (and affordable) to take home.

Why Humour Matters: Artists Reflect

Several exhibiting artists shared how humour shapes their practice:

Abigail Fallis

“Humour plays a major role in my art. My work questions our environmental legacy to the future. My subversive sense of humour provides satirical absurdity in the face of uncomfortable truths.”

Hayden Kays

“Comedy runs through my practice because there’s so much solemnity in art. Humour cuts straight through before the intellect can intervene. It feels like the essence of being human.”

Maisie Cowell

“Humour lets you smuggle in complicated subjects. I’ve always loved comics–Calvin and Hobbes, Peanuts, Agrippina, Anna Haifisch. I’m jealous of Cindy Sherman’s playfulness with identity and satire.”

Paul Hodgson

“Comedy is often dismissed as mere entertainment, but provoking laughter is profound. It alters perception, displaces expectation, and produces new interpretations. From casting a bronze banana skin to exploding a cigar in Oscar Wilde’s face, I’ve always explored how comedy can transform objects and narratives.”

Dion Kitson

“Humour acts as both a scalpel and a shield—cutting into the British psyche while coping with the banal. My fake news ‘Headlines’ series reaches a mass audience by subverting something as familiar as an oil painting.”

Whether you’re a dedicated collector or a curious newcomer, it’s a rare chance to meet artists face-to-face, pick up exclusive one-day-only pieces, and revel in a day where art doesn’t just hang on walls, it laughs out loud.

The Art Car Boot Fair 2025: Comedy & The Comic takes over Lewis Cubitt Square at Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross, London on Saturday 20th September from 12–6pm. Find more information here.