Video, sound and light installation created for Hull Minster, Kingston upon Hull
Commissioned by Absolutely Cultured for Urban Legends: Northern Lights
29 November – 2 December 2018
Ship of the Gods is inspired by the Norse myth of Skidbladnir, a magical shape-shifting vessel which was large enough to carry all the gods and their equipment yet could be folded up small enough to fit inside a pocket. We connected this story with the landscapes of Norway and Hull’s maritime history, reimagining Skidbladnir through the forms of the life-size museum boats, the Arctic Corsair and the Spurn Lightship, and ship models found within Hull Maritime Museum and Hull and East Riding Museum.
We used 3D laser scanning technology, a voile screen, projected film, sound and lighting effects to create an installation which was designed to augment with its context and like the mythical vessel could transform and be folded down to move to other sites. The work was shown in Hull Minster as part of the Urban Legends: Northern Lights event and attracted an audience of over 40,000 in four nights.
In 2020 Ship of the Gods was adapted to be shown in the Drum Aisle of the Kirk of St Nicholas as part of Aberdeen’s Spectra Festival of Light and attracted similar size audiences. In 2021 it was shown at St Mary’s Church in Portsmouth as part of We Shine – Portsmouth’s first major light festival.
Ship of the Gods was long-listed for the Lumen Prize (Moving Image Category) in 2019.
Supported by the Hull: Yorkshire’s Maritime City, Hull City Council, Heritage Lottery Fund, Hull Culture and Leisure Ltd, Humber Museums Partnership and Arts Council England.
Landscape sequences created using open data provided by the Norwegian Mapping Authority, ©Kartverket, www.kartverket.no.
Original 3D Lidar scans undertaken by CT Surveys and Laser Scanning UK Ltd.
Link to the video showing Ship of the Gods both inside and outside Hull Minster.
