Three artists, Steve Dowson, Simon Holmes and Mark Pearson met up in Basildon on a very hot August day in 2016. As prospective flaneurs they wandered about a bit, surveying its lauded civic architecture and underpasses. After buying some very nice and passable Fred Perry and Ralph Lauren knock off polo tops from the market, they continued on a circuitous route that spiralled in on itself and they ended up back in the shopping precinct. They eventually hit the nearest fortress type pub to sink a few pints, where Steve and Simon discussed art and Mark, slightly distracted kept his eye on the cricket on Sky TV. Cook and Root were doing well, still in. Vortex Basildon is an illustrated and typographical record of that short meandering journey.