Virgin Atlantic launch gallery in the skies
- By Jack Preston -
- Feb 01, 2013
Virgin Atlantic have today launched their Gallery in the Air, giving Upper Class passengers the chance to peruse the work of renowned British artist, Ben Eine, at 35,000 ft. In a world first the airline is opening commercial art galleries across the London Heathrow, JFK and Newark Clubhouses and, as passengers take their seats, they can take a virtual tour of the artwork.
The first exhibition features a collection of 10 bespoke works of art priced between £2,500 and £15,000, in Eine’s trademark typography style. Each piece is inspired by the adventurous and innovative spirit of Virgin Atlantic, its entrepreneurial owner Richard Branson, and the iconic transatlantic cities of London and New York.
Eine is famed for his striking and cutting-edge street art style featuring vibrant and often controversial letters and phrases. He shot to international fame when David Cameron presented one of his works to President Obama as a gift on his first official state visit in 2010, but is perhaps best known for ‘Alphabet Street’ – the shutters and murals he painted in his trademark colours and typography in Middlesex Street, London.
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“My philosophy through all my work, be it on canvas or on the street, is about pushing boundaries and not simply going with the flow because everyone else is doing something a certain way. I respect Virgin Atlantic’s brave and challenging attitude and the way it goes against the grain, so I jumped at the chance to be part of the first ever Gallery in the Air. We have created a completely original way of appreciating and buying art – a new frontier for the industry,” commented Eine.
An addition to the Gallery in the Air collection, set to be on display at the London Heathrow Clubhouse, is a one-of-a-kind, not for sale portrait of Richard Branson, built up of hundreds of pixels in a similar style to another of Eine’s iconic pieces – a portrait of HRH Prince Charles which resides on the side of a building in his hometown of Hastings.
“I am a huge fan of Ben’s work and, like us, he does things differently and doesn’t follow the crowd. We’re delighted to be working with him, mixing things up a bit and having a bit of fun along the way,” commented the Virgin Group Founder.
To book your flight, head over to Virgin Atlantic.
By Jack Preston. Content Executive. Tweets at @JackPressedOn
