A white Ford transit van parked at the back of Victoria Road in New Brighton has gone viral on social media, with double yellow lines painted across it, lining up with the street and the wall beside it. A video of the van was shared to TikTok two weeks ago and has since been viewed more than 178,000 times.
Artwork's creator and message
The van is actually one of the most photographed and shared artworks in the town's free OpenAIR gallery, according to Rory Wilmer, Creative Director and Founder of New Brighton Creative Futures CIC, which commissions and preserves the town's artworks. Rory told the ECHO: "It's gone viral a few times because it brings a smile to people's faces. Every single day, people are stopping to take a photo because it really makes their day."
"It's a genuine conversation starter and it draws people into the wider OpenAIR gallery to go and explore." Created by Ukrainian artist Dmytro Davies-Syov, the artwork is highlighting bureaucracy about how streets are maintained. Rory added: "This artwork is about making that hidden bureaucracy visible."
Part of a larger gallery
The artwork is one of more than 40 pieces that visitors to New Brighton will come across while walking through the seaside town. Since 2018, local and international artists have created murals and art pieces across the town, all walkable in a free open-air gallery.
A new addition is a mural of Captain Mike Lowe, who was the youngest Master on the Birkenhead Ferries, on the Master Mariner bar and grill in New Brighton. Another is 'Entwined,' inspired by the volunteers behind New Brighton in Bloom. The ECHO recently reported how "Wirral's most photographed dog" Cain was immortalised after his death through a mural in the seaside town.
Future plans and community impact
Rory added: "Our aim is to double this, and take it to 80 pieces. We believe we are in a position now where we can claim to be one of the densest cluster of street art in the UK. Other cities and towns have street art, but they are quite spread out. But with New Brighton and the Victoria Quarter, it is all walkable, in an open-air gallery, that's open to everyone."
"This is about pride in where we live. It's about telling stories about our heritage, the people that live here, and the stories that inspire us. Everything costs so much these days, but with New Brighton you can still come and have a day out, walk around, enjoy all the artwork, take pictures, and share them with family and friends."
"We also find that the artwork inspires a lot of the creatives who live here. But it is also drawing people to the town to live here. There's quite a lot of people who have come to us now who have moved here because of our mural scene, the creatives scene, and the independent shops, bars, restaurants and cafes, as well as everything on the front. Our attractions, our theatre, beautiful beaches, we're the whole package."
The OpenAIR gallery's mural map can be found on the hellownewbrighton.com website.
