In pictures: Duke of Lancaster art project grows
- Published
Street artists trying to turn an abandoned car ferry, the Duke of Lancaster, into what they call Europe's largest open air art gallery have painted four more murals on the vessel in the Dee estuary in Flintshire. It is the second phase of a project to transform the ship which was built in 1956 and last sailed in 1979.
In phase one of the project European graffiti artists painted murals on the ship between August and November 2012. But British-based artists have worked on the second phase which began at the end of March.
Bristol artist Snub23 painted this blue futuristic robot figure. 'Your Time is Up, The Future is Here', has been created so it appears to be breaking out from the inside of the ship. Snub 23 said: 'My character is made of metal and I always paint him as big as I can. This rusted wreck has an apocalyptic feel to it. It's obvious I'd be up for this, it has it all.'
The ship's transformation is being masterminded by an artist collective called DuDug who say they have the blessing of its owners for their art works. Here Dan Kitchener, a London and South East based artist who frequently changes his technique to experiment with different mediums, has painted Opening the Can of Worms.
DuDug spokesman Maurice says they hope they council will see the benefit of creating an attraction which will bring in tourists, but the council says in response that if a planning application is submitted it will be considered in the usual way. Another of the new works called When two worlds meet and by Dale Grimshaw, a gallery artist originally from Lancashire.
The final piece of art on the Duke of Lancaster by Spacehop pays homage to the ship's first captain John 'Jack' Irwin, an exact reproduction of one taken on board what was originally a cruise liner. It has been painted just below the ship's bridge in what the artists say is a "fitting tribute to the man who was frequently seen there guiding the ship into port".
- Published10 December 2012