Johnson portrait of Liverpool for 2008

Wednesday, 09 November 2005 11:47

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.-Internationally renowned artist Ben Johnson has been commissioned by National Museums Liverpool to produce a huge portrait of Liverpool to commemorate the city becoming European Capital of Culture in 2008. Ben Johnson has produced other cityscapes including Jerusalem, Zurich and Hong Kong but this will be his largest work to date, standing at 8ft x 16ft, an area of 128ft in total. By the artist's own admission it is the most ambitious of his panoramas to date. This is the first time the artist has worked directly with a public gallery to produce a commission on this scale. Johnson's cityscapes take years of painstaking work. First the subject must be closely explored by taking photographs, considering alternative viewpoints and absorbing the atmosphere of the city. Then detailed drawings are produced, often numbered in their thousands. Johnson is incredibly precise and his paintings are executed in minute detail. This will be the most detailed painting ever made of Liverpool in its history. Johnson says about the view: "Following six weeks of investigations into views, and studies of individual buildings, the importance of the Mersey, the Three Graces and the Cathedrals became obvious." This view comprises 170 hectares of the city, a near bird's-eye perspective established using computer and physical models to act as a template for making the drawing. In turn the drawing process helps produce the intricate stencils used to transfer the painting to canvas. Councillor Mike Storey, Leader of Liverpool City Council, said: ''Liverpool's waterfront is one of the most recognisable and famous in the world, ranking alongside Manhattan and Sydney and the architecture that spreads up to our cathedrals is stunning. It's fitting that the museum has commissioned such a renowned artist to capture the immensity of our World Heritage city in such detail for European Capital of Culture year. Liverpool in the 21st century is worthy of a modern masterpiece.''

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