The wreck of the USNS Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg in Florida’s Key West will once again be transformed into one of the longest underwater art galleries, as world-renowned artist Andreas Franke will display 12 pieces of art on the wreck.

In 2011, the Austrian commercial and modern artist and photographer attached 12 images to the 510-foot World War II-era ship. The pieces stayed on the ship for several months and transformed from their time under water. Also, the work was later shown in 2013 at the Studios of Key West for an exhibition.

On April 1, Franke and a group of divers will begin attaching his “Stavronikita” series, originally exhibited on the wreck of the SS Stavronikita off Bridgetown in Barbados. The process should take about two days to complete, Franke said.

The images, which Franke described as Baroque in nature, have never been shown in the United States before.

There will also be land-based exhibits of the work before it appears on the Vandenberg and after it is brought back to the surface.

The series will be exhibited before being deployed in its original state at both the History of Diving Museum in Islamorada on the 30th March and then at a yet-to-be-announced location on the 31st March, according to Capt. Joe Weatherby, an organiser of the sinking of the Vandenberg and the art project.

Organisers of the event have invited all Key West boats and divers to accompany and photograph the pieces as they are attached to the wreck.

Franke’s work will be brought up to the surface in late July, again accompanied by a large contingent of scuba divers, Weatherby said. The 12 images will then be dried and sealed. There will be an after-opening of the images at the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary’s Eco-Discovery Center in Key West, following which the images will remain on exhibit for approximately six months.

“One of the most interesting aspects of the project is to watch the transformation of the art while it is underwater,” Franke said. “It is interesting to see the clear artwork turn into a truly unique piece of art.”

Information about the art project can be found at www.thesinkingworld.com.

Source: www.keysnews.com

Photo: Andreas Franke