Dazzle camouflage is not subtle; the in-your-face style popularised in WWI seems more suited to a modern art gallery than a battle zone. Now, in commemoration of the Great War, a 1918 relic floating on the banks of the Thames has gotten a brand new paint job that honours its past.
The black, white and greyscale design on the HMS President was done by German op-artist Tobias Rehberger — seriously, he loves this stuff — as part of UK-based cultural program 14-18 NOW to mark WWI’s centennial.
In this present-day context, moored in the middle of London, it looks like the impressive work of an ambitious graffiti pro — more nuanced than the bold stripes and shapes of the originals.
It’s difficult to imagine something of this size on the open seas, with the look-at-me lines confounding enemy U-boats, rather than acting as a draw amongst the hustle and bustle of everyday life — a magnetic visual draw for tourists and curious passerby.
It also offers a different take than the model unveiled last month in Liverpool by Venezuelan artist Carlos Cruz-Diez, who opted for a bold colour scheme — both equally eye-catching. [Wallpaper]
Pictures: Ben A. Pruchnie/Getty