According to a press release issued today, Cunard has raised the anchor on an exciting collaboration with pop art phenomenon Mr. Brainwash as the luxury cruise line continues to champion artistic excellence at sea.
Thierry Guetta, AKA Mr. Brainwash, joined guests and VIPs aboard Queen Elizabeth in his hometown of Los Angeles yesterday (August 22) for an exclusive ceremony in which he officially unveiled a new mural in the ship’s Garden Lounge.
The mural is an intricate patchwork of iconic Cunard marketing posters from the 1920s, with Mr. Brainwash spray-painting a unique finishing touch, in his signature graffiti style, during the ceremony to celebrate the best of Cunard and contemporary art.
The bespoke installation “Cunard x Mr. Brainwash” was commissioned in partnership with Clarendon Fine Art, who’ve represented the leading street artist in the UK since 2020 and whose galleries appear across the Cunard fleet of ships.
Three innovative limited editions have also been created which will be exclusively available to guests and feature each of the three Cunard Queens. Showcasing the iconic vessels, as well as Mr. Brainwash’s unique style, the editions will offer guests an opportunity to acquire a unique moment in Cunard’s history.
Yesterday’s event marked the conclusion of Queen Elizabeth‘s arts-focused Pacific Coastal sailing from Vancouver to Los Angeles, which offered several Mr. Brainwash-inspired seminars as well as a screening of Banksy’s Academy-nominated ‘Exit Through the Gift shop’ documentary featuring Mr. Brainwash. The largest collection of the artist’s original artwork and limited-edition pieces ever seen at sea were also brought onboard for guests to view and purchase in Queen Elizabeth‘s art gallery.
The Los Angeles-based artist’s work is held in public and private collections across the globe, including in all 75 of Clarendon Fine Art’s UK and USA galleries as well as across the Cunard fleet. His ‘Long Live the King’ portrait of King Charles III, released to coincide with the Coronation, was a record release demonstrating the remarkable levels of interest in his work.
Some of his work also features in private collections belonging to the likes of Barack Obama, Al Pacino, Lionel Richie, and Rihanna, and he has also worked on charity collaborations with Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama.
Katie McAlister, President of Cunard, said: “We are thrilled to have partnered with Mr. Brainwash for Queen Elizabeth‘s incredible new mural and it is a privilege to be associated with such an acclaimed and innovative artist. We always strive to provide guests with enriching and unique experiences on board and this one-of-a-kind masterpiece will certainly be enjoyed by our many art lovers.”
Thierry Guetta, AKA Mr. Brainwash, who fronts the pop-up Mr. Brainwash Art Museum in Beverly Hills, added: “I am ecstatic to collaborate with Cunard because throughout history, they have proven to be timeless and consistent. This piece of mine holds massive significance. It is very special to me because it merges two worlds together and represents artistic expression on a grand scale. I believe creating accessible art is beautiful because it has the ability to enrich an individual’s journey and ignite their imagination no matter where they are in the world or what they are doing. If I can manage to even bring that expression to the high seas, there truly is no limit to where art can go. This unveiling is more than an event; it marks something that will inspire those who see it immediately and for generations to come. In the future, I will look back on this collaboration with beautiful memories attached to it. This collaboration is beautiful.”
Helen Swaby, CEO of Clarendon Fine Art, said: “We are proud and privileged that pop art phenomenon Mr. Brainwash has been invited into this unique collaboration with Cunard. For more than a decade we have had the pleasure of entertaining and educating guests aboard Cunard’s luxury liners, and ever since we first introduced Mr. Brainwash to guests there has been an overwhelming level of interest and love for this work. In recent times we have rediscovered the importance of positivity and fun and his work has struck a chord with art collectors and art lovers helping us to connect with the lighter side of life. This moment marks the next step in Mr. Brainwash’s meteoric rise to fame with his first ever mural taking up residency aboard a cruise ship. We hope that guests on the beautiful Queen Elizabeth enjoy the rare opportunity to view this uplifting and life-affirming artwork by one of the best-loved street artists of modern times.”
