• Art project commissioned by Ports of Auckland and Maersk to shed light on shipping industry
Earlier today, a 40-foot container emblazoned with artwork by famous street artists began its journey round the world.
The Art Container began its voyage at the Port of Auckland, filled with New Zealand Greenshell mussels on board the Maersk Bratan, bound for Philadelphia.
Commissioned by shipping giants Maersk Line and the Ports of Auckland, The Art Container project plans to promote the importance of the shipping industry.
The container features designs by famous street artists’ Askew1 and Trust Me.
One side of the container features a reworked version of Trust Me’s famous ‘Greetings from Aotearoa’, originally found in Ponsonby. Askew One has supplied an original piece, titled ‘Gigi’ that covers the other.
OP Columbia’s Andrew Selby said that they were proud to be part of the venture and supply the container for its first part of the voyage: “The Art Container is a great opportunity to raise awareness of container shipping and we’re delighted to start the container off on its global journey with an export shipment of Coromandel’s finest Greenshell mussels.”
According to Aquaculture NZ, the Port of Auckland came up with the idea after the BBC described container shipping as an “invisible industry which brings you 90 percent of everything”.
In an attempt to break into the public sphere, port of Auckland’s head of communication is turning to social networking site Twitter through the #ArtBoxNZ.
Whilst the container journeys the globe, people are encouraged to photograph the colourful container and share their respective images with Maersk Line and Ports of Auckland using the hashtag #ArtBoxNZ as well as #MaerskLine and #PortsofAuckland.
Given Maersk’s impressive 111,000 Twitter followers the project should be in good hands.
You can also track the progress of the container by entering the container number: MNBU3380910 at the link here.
