Dazzle camouflage is not subtle; the in-your-face style popularized 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 honors 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 color scheme—both equally eye-catching. [Wallpaper]
Images via Ben A. Pruchnie/Getty
