Pete Codling. Artist
ARTIST RESIDENCY @
PORTSMOUTH HISTORIC DOCKYARD
From Summer 2021 - 2023 I will be Artist Residency at The Portsmouth Historic Dockyard as guest of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard Property Trust.
The Residency is built around a proposal to create my largest drawings to date, and in doing so the largest public artwork I have done since the Million Pebbles project.
If you want to be part of this, check out the Dockyard Portraits in my website shop.
CROWD 2021 -23 and Sailing The Mary Rose 2022-23
This set of enormous drawings are inspired as a portrait of the city. Portsmouth that still holds claim to be one of the most densely populated in Europe, hence the first drawing is called CROWD. The rich and multi cultural history of this maritime city will be depicted in two epic charcoal drawings with 1500 characters included spanning 2000 years of Portsea Island.
The first is a life size replica of the HMS Victory Spritsail which is 17m x 10m. The second is a smaller set of Main Sails from Mary Rose which are 12m x 8m and 8x 4m. These have been carefully researched to be as realistic as possible to the 16th and 18th century sails. The drawings are done direct and free hand in charcoal and sealed into the heavy duty canvas.
They are covered in portraits of people with a connection to the Dockyard, be it naval, military, dockyard worker or community connection to the city and its history. It uses a contemporary demographic to create a 'motley crew' for these ships. It is a massive and ambitious project and there is as much art in getting it funded and made as there is creating the drawings. There have been some delays with Lock Down issues, Covid and logistics but this has added to the outreach and community awareness of the artwork and given time for more people to get involved.
The project is funded by a mixture of Crowdfunding, local Authority grants, local business sponsorship, donations and philanthropy. Arts Council England have helped me to reach deeper into the community for participation with the first drawing called CROWD. A separate ACE Project Grant application has been made for 'Sailing the Mary Rose' in 2023.
Studio Visits by request or appointment. Message/email me direct or by phone 07503105655
Be sure to follow the work in progress on the dedicated Instagram page:
How about this for a view in the Dockyard from South Office window….
500 years of Naval history. HMS Victory, The Mary Rose Museum & Royal Naval Museum. The Spritsail would have hung from the front Bow of the ship, pointing into the fore ground of the photo over hanging the fence and people just below at a whopping 10m x 17m.
