Mersey Ferry passengers will be able to see the river as they never have before. Passengers will be invited to use special viewfinders that transform the river into a fairytale landscape.
Installed on the ship’s decks, the custom-built viewfinders will use augmented reality to turn the Mersey into a magical space where sculptures burst out of the water and the Liverpool skyline shifts shape.
Designed by artist Anita Fontaine, they are just one of a series of works exploring the post-industrial landscapes of the Manchester Ship Canal and River Mersey as part of the Abandon Normal Devices (AND) Festival 2021.
They include a trip on board the Daniel Adamson steam tug immersed in an audiovisual experience created by artist Kate Davies.
A nautical soundtrack played onboard will feature deep sea hydrophone recordings of the noises of man-made ships disrupting the natural ecosystem, while an accompanying film will focus on the world above water such as containers being loaded and the rhythmic motions of cranes.
There will also be a floating laboratory at National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port.
Details of when the events will take place, and how to book tickets, are yet to be announced but the festival will run from May 27 to July 11, 2021.