NCL heralds the rise of art tourism, previews interactive art for Norwegian Viva cruise ship

NCL’s soon to debut Norwegian Viva cruise ship will feature a unique interactive artwork by innovative British digital artist Dominic Harris. Running the length of Viva’s Metropolitan Bar, from the atrium through to the ship’s specialty restaurants, it features a kaleidoscope of the artist’s iconic animated butterflies. 

Each silver-winged digital insect will dynamically respond throughout the day to passing movement and the touch of curious passengers.

“It’s not very common that I take on such a huge commission,” says Harris. “There has to be a real synergy and interest for projects to become special to me.”

At 16m long, the artwork, entitled ‘Every Wing Has a Silver Lining’, promises to be a spectacular attraction. 

It’s a perpetual interactive tapestry of interwoven butterflies, updating 3 billion pixels every second…

‘Silver Lining’ is Harris’ largest creation, spanning 15.85m in length.

“It’s a perpetual interactive tapestry of interwoven butterflies, updating 3 billion pixels every second. That’s a mind-blowing amount of digital canvas. This is truly something special on a technical level,” Harris told The Luxe Review. 

NCL previewed a version of the statement piece at London’s Halcyon Gallery, on the eve of Harris’s eagerly anticipated new collection, Feeding Consciousness, which runs May 25 – August 13 at the newly refurbished venue in New Bond Street. 

The exhibition is the largest new body of work Harris (pictured above) has ever launched: “There’s certain overlapping themes, but all reflect how I look at nature and the environment,” he says. Before the Viva artwork was revealed, TLR had a chance to pursue the exhibition, and it’s both thought provoking and beautiful.

““The Viva really elevates the NCL experience,” said Gary Anslow, Senior Director of Sales, UK&I (below left), at the artwork announcement.

“For us at NCL, artwork is a big part of what we do. You might be familiar with our hull art – we have different artists decorating our ships so they really stand out in the water, but onboard, we’re also well known for our great art installations.”

Set to debut this June, Norwegian Viva, the second of Norwegian’s Prima class ships, will feature The Concourse, an art walk on the Ocean Boulevard, featuring six modern sculptures from artists including Kevin Box, Arik Levy, and Sophie Elizabeth Thompson. 

Research commissioned by NCL suggests that a quarter of people in the UK now consider art and architecture to be a crucial part of their holiday itinerary.

The poll of 2,000 UK adults found over a fifth (21 per cent) admit to taking more pictures of art and architecture than friends and family they travel with. 

According to the survey, local art and architecture ranks higher as a deciding factor when picking a destination over local wildlife (21 per cent), great sunbathing spots (16 per cent), and an advantageous exchange rate (15 per cent).

The top three cultural sights travellers aspire to see when on vacation are the Trevi Fountain in Rome, (30 per cent), Michaelangelo’s David in Florence, (27 per cent), and the Mona Lisa in Paris (25 per cent).

At the launch, NCL treated guests to experience fine dining from Viva’s Palomar speciality restaurant – to whet the appetite for the new ship, as it were. 

The three course celebration began with an appetiser of grilled squid with sauteed potatoes, baby spinach, pickled red onion and Pimento de la Vera.

It was followed by oven baked Icelandic cod on truffled cauliflower mousseline with shitake mushrooms, smoked paprika and tarragon hollandaise.

For dessert, passion-fruit curd meringue with tropical fruit and lemon sorbet, was served.

As delicious as it sounds, it left us hungry to experience more from the Paloma’s menu.

Norwegian Viva will begin sailing Mediterranean itineraries in August 2023, homeporting in key Southern European port cities, including Lisbon, Portugal; Venice (Trieste) and Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy; and Athens (Piraeus), Greece. 

She will then sail the Southern Caribbean for her 2023-2024 Winter Season offering warm-weather getaways from San Juan, Puerto Rico.