New King’s Lynn projections celebrate the towns maritime heritage and the anniversary of rejoining the Hanseatic League.
Cllr Sue Lintern, Cabinet Member for Culture and Events, explains more about this project: “In June we celebrated the 20th anniversary of King’s Lynn rejoining the international Hanseatic League. There were plenty of pirates, Hanseatic flags, medieval markets, and a party on King’s Staithe Square.
“We also invited residents contribute to one of the biggest art installations King’s Lynn has ever seen. We invited residents young and old to take part in sessions held across the town to design artwork that encouraged friendship across communities and focused on specific themes of King’s Lynn international connections, contemporary and historical residents, including local heroes, and shipping, sailing and piracy.
“We have then asked internationally renowned SDNA Ltd to turn some of this artwork into moving images that you will see projected on the Custom House, the Minster and Greyfriars Tower until the end of the year.”
Valentina Floris, Co-Director at the studio SDNA Ltd who created the moving projections, said: “Our work is driven by collaboration, experimentation, and a belief that art becomes most powerful when communities help shape it.
“For Voyages, we worked with over 180 people from King’s Lynn to reimagine the town’s maritime heritage through visual creation. During a series of analogue workshops, participants designed ships, maps and sea creatures which we then digitised and animated.
“We see this project as a co-creation where residents become co-authors of the artwork, and their artwork becomes the heart of the final projections.
“By combining traditional art techniques with digital animation, we aim to make large-scale public art accessible, inclusive and shaped by the community’s own imagination.
“Voyages reflect our ongoing interest in place, memory, and collective imagination. It celebrates King’s Lynn as a town shaped not only by its past, but by the creativity of its people today.”
Phillip Eke, the Senior Tourism Officer at the borough council and Hanse Commissioner for England, said: “King’s Lynn has a proud Hanseatic heritage that stretches back to the 13th century, and we renewed our connection with Die Hanse, the Hanseatic League, in 2005, with five other towns in England joining over subsequent years. Colourful events and projects have happened within the town throughout this year to celebrate the 20th anniversary of King’s Lynn joining the modern Hanse League.
“This has shined a spotlight on our rich local history and King’s Lynn’s membership of the new league helps bring about closer economic, cultural, social and national ties with our Hanse partners across northern Europe.”
