Work to start on East Cowes harbourside mural
- Published
The Columbine Building was at the centre of the island's role in developing seaplanes and hovercraft
A harbourside building on the Isle of Wight is set to be transformed with a 65m-long (210ft) mural.
The work by local artist Alice Malia will adorn the side of the Columbine Building in East Cowes.
The design will celebrate the industrial heritage of the island along with environmental achievements such as the reintroduction of sea eagles.
Ms Malia said it would be a "beacon of cultural and natural pride" for the island.
The mural, which was given planning approval last month, will feature an 8m-high (25ft) painted white-tailed eagle and will be visible from across the river Medina.
White-tailed eagles - the UK's largest bird of prey - became extinct in southern England in 1780 but were reintroduced on the island in the summer of 2019.
Initial designs for the mural were included in a planning application
Spanning the rest of the industrial building, owned by the Wight Shipyard Company, will be flying machines developed on the island in the 20th Century - the Princess Seaplane and the hovercraft.
It also features the Black Arrow rocket which was tested near The Needles on the Isle of Wight before it launched the Prospero satellite in 1971.
When complete, the artwork will be 12m (40ft) high and 65m (210ft) long.
The front of the building already features a giant union flag, a familiar landmark on the East Cowes waterfront.
Ms Malia said: "This public piece of art fuses our community's rich history with its commitment to environmental conservation, providing a beacon of cultural and natural pride for the Isle of Wight."
She will be working with a team of eight artists to paint the building over the next three months.
The project has received funding from Arts Council England's National Lottery grant with additional support from Forestry England and the Isle of Wight Council.
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- Published19 July 2023
- Published10 May 2018
