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Tate Liverpool + RIBA North Exhibition

Liverpool Biennial: Dazzle ship

13 June 2014 – 31 December 2015
Dazzle Ship by Carlos Cruz-Diez, side view

Dazzle Ship by Carlos Cruz-Diez, side view

©Tate

Dazzle Ship by Carlos Cruz-Diez, side view

Dazzle Ship by Carlos Cruz-Diez, side view

Dazzle Ship by Carlos Cruz-Diez,  Tate Liverpool, front view

Dazzle Ship by Carlos Cruz-Diez, Tate Liverpool, front view

Dazzle Ship by Carlos Cruz-Diez,  Tate Liverpool close-up

Dazzle Ship by Carlos Cruz-Diez, Tate Liverpool close-up

14-18 NOW, Liverpool Biennial and Tate Liverpool present a joint commission by Venezuelan artist Carlos Cruz-Diez. Cruz-Diez will paint a contemporary version of a ‘dazzle ship’ with ‘dazzle’ camouflage in partnership with Merseyside Maritime Museum. Edmund Gardner, a historic pilot ship owned and conserved by the Merseyside Martime Museum, is situated in the dry dock adjacent to Liverpool’s Albert Dock will become a new public monument for the city.

Dazzle painting played a vital role in the protection of British naval and trade vessels during The First World War when it was introduced in late 1914 as a system for camouflaging ships. This dazzle camouflage was employed to optically distort the appearance of British ships in order to confuse the German submarines who were threatening to cut off Britain’s trade and supplies. The optical illusion imposed by the ‘dazzling’ was intended to make the direction the ship was travelling in difficult for enemy submarines to identify. This would in turn lead to a difficulty in calculating an accurate angle of attack.

Dazzle camouflage was achieved by painting the ship in contrasting stripes and curves that broke up its shape. Characterised by garish colours and a sharp patchwork design of interlocking shapes, the spectacular dazzle style was heavily indebted to Cubism. The inventor of dazzle painting, Norman Wilkinson, employed techniques influenced by avant-garde British painters such as Wyndham Lewis and David Bomberg. The close relationship of dazzle technology to British art extended right through its manufacture. Each British pattern was unique, and many of the designs were created by women from the Royal Academy of Arts, London. Designs were tested on wooden models, viewed through a periscope in a studio in order to assess how they would work at sea. Artist Edward Wadsworth, who supervised the application of dazzle patterning to over 2,000 ships, later made a series of paintings on the subject.

Dazzleship from IWM archive, Tate Liverpool

Dazzleship from IWM archive

Although the practice of dazzle painting became obsolete following the invention of radar, dazzle remains a source of inspiration to artists today.

The ship will be accompanied by a display exploring the history of Dazzle Ships and the role of artists in the First World War.

In London, HMS President, which was formerly a Dazzle Ship during the First World War, will also be ‘dazzled’ by a contemporary artist.

Create your own 3D dazzle artwork with the free Dazzle It app

Digital Dazzle Resource

Use this free resource in and outside the classroom to find out more about dazzle camouflage and the role artists played in the First World War. It features a host of information and exciting interactive activities, covering subjects such as art, history, maths, geography, history, english and science.

http://www.biennial.com/dazzleferry-education

In association with the Merseyside Maritime Museum. Co-commissioned by 14-18NOW, Liverpool Biennial and Tate Liverpool.

Tate Liverpool + RIBA North

Mann Island
Liverpool L3 1BP
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Dates

13 June 2014 – 31 December 2015

Sponsored by

Liverpool Beinnial 2014

Liverpool Beinnial 2014

1418NOW

1418NOW

WWI centenary

WWI centenary

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Find out more

  • Artist

    Edward Wadsworth

    1889—1949
  • Artist

    Carlos Cruz-Diez

    1923 – 2019
  • Artist

    Wyndham Lewis

    1882–1957
  • Artist

    David Bomberg

    1890–1957
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