MHW Magazine News and stories from the Materials Handling Industry
Structure-flex, one of Europe’s leading suppliers of a diverse range of products manufactured from flexible, heavy-duty, PVC coated textiles, has brought to life an art exhibition displaying images of some of the world’s most famous musicians to create what is believed to be the largest outside art exhibition ever.
The exhibition, entitled Size Matters, is a display of 13 images captured by iconic rock photographer Nick Elliott, reproduced as massive pieces of art each measuring 8 meters high by 5 meters wide and framed with a metal structure to create individual free-standing exhibits.
The musicians featured in the exhibition include a range of well-known artists that Nick Elliott has shot over his career including: Beverley Knight, Motörhead’s Lemmy, The Darkness’ Justin Hawkins, Simple Minds’ Jim Kerr, Europe’s Joey Tempest and Skunk Anansie’s Skin, amongst others.
Paul Reeve, Managing Director at Structure-flex, commented: “We are very active in the commercial transport sector manufacturing digitally printed trailer side curtains, vehicle covers, and tarpaulins so are very accustomed to dealing with large format print but Nick’s project is one of the most unusual requests we’ve had.
“The Graphic Division has recently invested a further £450,000 in the latest technology so producing the images at the required dimensions wasn’t an issue, but to create free-standing pieces of fine art that would retain the details of Nick’s wonderful work on a fabric that would enable them to be displayed outside and open to the elements, was a challenge.
“We produced a number of proto-types at various sizes and tested different fabrics before recommending the final specification. Designing a suitable structure that depicted the look and feel of pieces of art yet secured them into position to fulfil any health and safety requirements was also a big consideration. We are all thrilled with the results!”
Rock photographer Nick Elliott has worked in the music industry for over 20 years and his images have frequently been featured on album artwork as well as being published extensively across the media. Nick’s work is also in demand as fine art and has exhibited in galleries across the UK and Europe, and is currently in discussion to show his images in the USA.
Nick explained: “I wanted to create an exhibition that was truly breath-taking. I’ve been showing my work for many years as limited edition fine art for collectors around the world but wanted to produce something on an enormous scale that would re-create the experience I had when I shot the image for the viewer. I believe that something on this scale has never been done before.
“The exhibition is about immersing the observer into the live performance so it had to be as big as possible to provide a truly memorable experience. I wanted to create a ‘living’ exhibition that was interactive and chose images especially that would be appreciated at a distance but also immeasurably powerful and engulfing close up.
“To produce the pieces at such a size, whilst retaining the integrity of the images, was a challenge as enormous as the final exhibits themselves. I’m very grateful to have had the very best large format printers, Structure-flex, to provide advice on the material and construction of the pieces and to produce the final work in such a high quality that does my images justice.”
There are plans to tour the exhibition across the UK but it will make its inaugural appearance to an audience of 65,000 people at the Pageant of Power classic vehicle, boat and helicopter festival set in the historic grounds of Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire, on 12-14 June.
Pageant of Power festival organiser, James Hall, said: “We are delighted to be the first to host Size Matters, it will be a fabulous addition to the festival this year. As the name suggests, the festival is all about power and the exhibition complements that theme perfectly.
“Friday and Saturday culminate in a rock show in the evening a number of the Size Matters exhibits will be flanking the stage where Rick Parfitt Jnr Band and the Tenors of Rock will perform. From what we have already seen, we are expecting it to be a really impressive spectacle and we’re really proud that one of the world’s greatest rock photographers has chosen our festival for the show’s debut.”
To view the making of Size Matters visit www.sizematters.photography. For more information about rock photographer, Nick Elliott, visit www.nickelliott.eu, for more information on Structure-flex visit www.sfx-digital-print.co.uk and for more information on Pageant of Power visit www.cpop.co.uk .
