Thursday, June 14, 2012

Most bizarre tribute to Titanic - Light artist recreates sinking of liner with projections onto iceberg



Of all the tributes to the victims of Titanic, this must be among the strangest.

To mark the 100th anniversary of the disaster, Swiss light artist Gerry Hofstetter plans to recreate the sinking of the liner by projecting images onto a giant iceberg.

In these test pictures on an ice cap in the Northern Polar sea, Mr Hofstetter charts its doomed journey from Southampton to the fateful collision in the North Atlantic.



Mr Hofstetter has illuminated a number of landmarks around the world, including Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid at Giza, and the White Cliffs of Dover.

Mr Hofstetter reveals his philosophy on his website. He says: 'If you have a dream or an idea, be careful, it may be a vision.

'If your heart catches the spirit of that vision, realize it, with passion. And never forget, success is the only solution.'


His tribute is among a number of commemorative event taking place to mark the death of 1,517 people on board the vessel when it sank beneath the waves on April 15, 1912.

One which may rival it for its brush with the bizarre involves relatives of passengers who died on the cruise setting sail on a trip to retrace the voyage.


But critics, who thought the recreation was macabre or in poor taste, were silenced after all 1,309 berths on the MS Balmoral - the same number on board the Titanic - were snapped up.

The Balmoral left Southampton docks yesterday and is due to reach the North Atlantic wreck site next weekend for a memorial ceremony.

On the anniversary, passengers will gather on deck for a memorial ceremony at 11:40pm on April 14 - the exact time the ship hit the iceberg 100 years on.

Another service will be held at 2.20am to mark the moment it sank.


Numerous events have also taken place in the lead up to the 100th anniversary of its sinking.

The Belfast shipyard where the Titanic was built has been revitalised in time for the landmark date, while an eye-catching, dockside centre opened just weeks before the 100th anniversary of the ship's sinking.

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