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CREATIVE BRISTOL
Saili’s poetry was the starting point for the installation (image: Danielle Vincent)
The laminated glass will be darkened for projection-mapped imagery (image: Danielle Vincent)
Limbic Cinema is using projections to recreate the energy of the underwater world (image: Danielle Vincent)
Voyage on the Iron Island
A spoken word and visual art collaboration is bringing big ocean energy back to the SS Great Britain to convey the continued relevance of its timeless cargo – experiences of emigration and transition that we can learn from
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ot since she was rescued some half a century ago has the SS Great Britain been surrounded by the sights, sounds and movements of the sea. Now, in Bristol’s multimedia design studio Limbic Cinema and Wiltshire writer and performance poet Saili Katebe, the SS Great Britain has ignited a contemporary creative response that has resulted in a new immersive multimedia experience for visitors. Known as the world’s first great ocean liner, the SS Great Britain was saved from the Falklands seabed in July 1970 when her rusty hull was at risk of splitting in two. Back in her original dockyard and beautifully restored, the ship now enjoys 200,000 visitors a year to Europe’s most welcoming museum (it’s true, the European Museum of the Year Awards said so in 2019). “I was taken by the stories and history,” said Saili Katebe, whose latest poem Iron Island provided the inspiration for the installation (extract at the end of this article). “She is clearly very special; there was a lot of
24 THE BRISTOL MAGAZINE
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AUGUST 2021
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hard work and dedication that went into bringing her back and preserving her. “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. “Now more than ever, it’s invaluable to hear and explore stories from across the globe, and as the first ship of her time to travel as far and as often as she did, there are so many stories still to be discovered; so much truth and life to be uncovered. “It was an honour to celebrate the ingenuity of the ship and that passion for what we can learn from its stories.” The installation combines projection, lighting and surround sound to transport audiences through underwater worlds. Much of the 1,000 square metres of laminated glass will be darkened, making for a unique space for projection-mapped imagery to materialise on the walls and iron hull. Speakers,
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John Henry Chatterton Voyage 11 return
Whilst serving out the bread this morning we heard that there was an iceberg in sight. Got out my telescope and looked at it. It appeared to be about six or seven miles off. The sun was shining brightly at the time, and it looked exceedingly pretty.
