Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Walk around ship’s hull to be ‘digital experience’
FOR the first time in 50 years the sights, sounds and movement of the sea will surround the ss Great Britain’s hull.
The famous vessel isn’t heading back to sea of course – but the dry dock where she sits will be transformed into an immersive digital experience called ‘Iron Island’ for visitors to enjoy.
The ss Great Britain was towed back to Bristol along the River Avon in July 1970 on her final journey after an 87-day journey from the Falkland Islands.
Brunel’s majestic ship has since become one of the West’s top tourist attractions and a new display over the next month promises to thrill visitors.
The dry dock that the ss Great Britain is housed at will be transformed into an immersive experience by award-winning multimedia design studio Limbic Cinema.
It will combine projection, lighting and surround sound to transport audiences on a journey through underwater worlds.
Much of the 1,000 square metres of laminated glass overhead will be darkened, providing a unique space for projection-mapped imagery to emerge on the walls and the iron hull.
Speakers set within the dry dock will resonate with music and sounds of the ocean, with an original score composed by Joe Acheson (Hidden Orchestra).
Performance poet Saili Katebe has written a new spoken word piece for this installation, which leads the narrative.
Visitors will descend under the glass sea to walk around the iron hull, becoming immersed in the multisensory storytelling as they reach the bow.
Set in three acts – ‘departure’, ‘storm’ and ‘icefield’ – the audience is taken on a journey that sets off across the ocean, encountering various sea life before a storm has the ship rising and falling in the waves with thunder and lightning all around.
Glowing icebergs signal a more reflective pace as the ship navigates carefully through an icefield.
Kate Rambridge, head of interpretation and programming at Brunel’s ss Great Britain, said: “The ss Great Britain rests today back in her original dry dock, but she was designed for a completely different environment – the world’s oceans. In fact, this astonishing ship travelled more than a million miles at sea, and she still carries traces of salt in her iron hull.
“Although she’ll never sail again, digital multimedia can bring the sea back to the ship and show how she performed in that element – so that audiences can see her, once again, as resilient, graceful and dynamic.”
Wiltshire-based Saili Katebe said: “The ship carried thousands of people to America and Australia – many of them leaving home forever. She still bears the cargo of their stories – so much hope, fear and ambition. I imagined the ship as an island made of iron, something which stays strong even in the upheaval of change and challenge.”
■ The Iron Island experience is included with entry to the ss Great Britain with timed visit slots available from Monday, August 23 to Sunday, September 19 at www.ssgreatbritain.org/ironisland