In 2020, a series of cultural projects will help Plymouth celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower. One of them will see a group of artists creating pieces of public art which explore aspects of the city’s history and bring them to a new audience. It will see a series of murals created across the city between now and 2020, in conjunction with heritage and community groups and furthering Plymouth’s burgeoning identity as a city of culture.
Work is currently underway on the first mural, which is titled The Seafarer – The Eager of Spirit, the Heart to Travel and engages the theme of transatlantic journeys during the 400-year period since the Mayflower. It is being painted on an exterior wall of The Cooperage building in Royal William Yard, and will be unveiled ahead of the Plymouth Art Weekender from September 23-25. Dr Jody Patterson, whose research focuses on the cultural significance of public art, said:
“Murals are a fantastic way of not only brightening up a community but telling the stories which have made it what it is today. They can create sense of cultural identity and civic pride, but you also want them to generate conversation and debate. We felt the Mayflower was the perfect subject to celebrate in this way, and are looking forward to working with artists and the community to create more pieces of this nature over the next three years.”
For more information see project lead Dr Jody Patterson.