EVERYONE’S FAVOURITE CARTOON DOG has just slipped his leash and taken Bristol by storm. Everyone’s talking about the 80 beautiful giant-sized sculptures of Gromit, which have been individually decorated by a host of artists and comedians.
[tl:gallery index=3 size=416×268]
Nick Park: 80 Gromits, 10 weeks, 1 city, from 1 July to 8 Sept 2013
ARTISTS WHO HAVE MADE THEIR MARK
Aardman’s Nick Park and Peter Lord have painted their own Gromits and chose a cracking team to decorate the rest. These include iconic
designers Sir Paul Smith, and Cath Kidston (her leader of the pack is covered in flowers). Simon Tofield, the award-winning illustrator and
animator behind the Simon’s Cat cartoons has covered Gromit in
cats and Disney’s ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ animation director Richard Williams has also painted a Gromit.
[tl:gallery index=0 size=259×173]
Joanna Lumley has written fragments of poetry she loved as a child on her colourful Gromit
Other artists include Sir Quentin Blake, the fantastic children’s author and illustrator, Martin
Handford, creator of ‘Where’s Wally’ and Richard ‘Golly’ Starzak,
creator of Aardman’s hugely popular ‘Shaun the Sheep’ series. Actress Joanna Lumley has decorated a Gromit in absolutely fabulous poetry and Harry Hill is the comedian behind a bald Gromit.
[tl:gallery index=1 size=414×257]
Comedian Harry Hill’s ‘A Close Shave’ Gromit is at
Bristol Tourist Information Centre
E Shed
1, Canon’s Rd,
Bristol
BS1 5TX
Jools Holland is bringing music into the mix with his Bumble Boogie. His sculpture will bring the boogie-woogie beats of Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra to the trail, as his Gromit features a specially recorded soundtrack based on The Flight of the Bumble Bee.
[tl:gallery index=4 size=240×160]
Jools Holland and his Bumble Boogie
GROMIT UNLEASHED
No longer tied to his adorably hapless owner Wallace, Gromit invites you to explore the historic city of Bristol, while seeing how many dogs in his image you can spot!
[tl:gallery index=2 size=265×199]
DETECT-O-GROMIT APP
If you fancy a bit of help to follow the trail, there are tourist maps and also a new Detect-O-Gromit App available for Apple and Android products.
SICK CHILDREN TO BENEFIT
Children are very much at the heart of this project – not only will all children have a wonderful time spotting the dogs, but at the end of the project the dogs will be auctioned off in aid of a local children’s hospital.
WALLACE & GROMIT’S GRAND APPEAL
All proceeds from Gromit Unleashed will benefit Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children’s Hospital Charity
The charity supports Bristol Children’s Hospital, one
of only a few specialist children’s hospitals in the UK providing
life-saving surgery, care and treatment to children on a local, national
and international scale. The hospital is now expanding to create one of
the most influential children’s hospitals in Europe.
By supporting Gromit Unleashed, the public can help to save the lives of sick children. Treatment
unimaginable a decade ago is now within reach, and the project needs to raise money to make it happen.
To find out more about the charity visit www.grandappeal.org.uk
You can see Sir Quentin Blake’s ‘Gizmo’ Gromit at
Gromit Unleashed HQ: 24 Upper Maudlin Street,
Bristol
BS2 8DJ
Visit the Gromit Unleashed website for more info.
The BBC had fun filming the kennels before the Gromits were unleashed…
Kate Taylor
Practical Motorhome
3 July, 2013
