PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE USE
ISSUE DATE – 9 AUGUST 2013
ART EVERYWHERE
WOLVERHAMPTON
ART GALLERY
GALLERY WORK CHOSEN FOR WORLD’S LARGEST ART SHOW
A painting belonging to Wolverhampton Art Gallery has been chosen to feature in a national
project which will transform poster sites across the UK into the biggest exhibition in the world.
Lord Volvo and his Estate (1982) by Humphrey Ocean was selected for the campaign, entitled Art
Everywhere, following a public vote on the country’s favourite artworks.
Between 12-25 August, 22,000 billboards and poster sites will feature more than 50 works by
British artists. It is expected that 90% of the UK’s adult population will be able to enjoy the wideranging artworks for the two weeks of the project, instead of advertising. Other works selected for
Art Everywhere include John William Waterhouse’s The Lady of Shallot and L. S. Lowry’s Going to
the Match.
Cities, towns and villages of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will see poster sites
ranging from billboards to bus stops transformed into artworks across high streets, major roads,
tube, train and metro stations, supermarkets, shopping malls, office buildings, cinemas, health
clubs and bars. Using image-recognition and augmented reality technology via blippar, each
physical poster will be interactive, enabling the public to point their phones at the art to access
instantaneous information about each piece, visit the collection and socially share their
favourites. Prints of many of the artworks can also be bought through the site via project partner,
Easyart, with all profits going to the artist and Art Everywhere.
Humphrey Ocean is a contemporary British painter who has painted portraits of Paul McCartney,
the poet Philip Larkin and the politician Tony Benn. Lord Volvo and his Estate won the National
Portrait Gallery’s annual Portrait Prize in 1982, and was purchased by the Art Gallery in 1996
with the assistance of the Museums & Galleries Commission/Victoria and Albert Museum
Purchase Grant Fund and The Pilgrim Trust.
Corinne Miller, Head of Culture, Arts and Heritage at Wolverhampton City Council, said:
“We are delighted with the announcement that thousands of people across the country
will get to see Lord Volvo and his Estate this summer. Art Everywhere is a really
innovative project which will act as a fantastic showcase for the UK’s public art
collections, and it is great that Wolverhampton Art Gallery will be playing a part in the
world’s largest art show.”
For more information about Art Everywhere, please visit www.arteverywhere.org.uk.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
For more information and images, please contact Charli Hill (Cultural Promotions Officer)
charli.hill@wolverhampton.gov.uk 01902 552040
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Images available on request
Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Lichfield Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1DU is open Monday –
Saturday, 10am – 5pm, free entry. Tel: 01902 552055.
Wolverhampton Art Gallery is part of WAVE, the Museums, Galleries and Archives of
Wolverhampton, and is run by Wolverhampton City Council.
www.wolverhamptonart.org.uk
WAVE is a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England
About Art Everywhere
Art Everywhere is a collaborative project between Richard Reed, (co-founder of Innocent Drinks),
the Art Fund, Tate, the poster industry, and 101 creative agency. Working with Posterscope and
Vizeum, the poster industry has donated tens of thousands of sites; media owners involved
include Clearchannel, CBS Outdoor, JC Decaux , Ocean Outdoor and Primesight.