Hullywood Icons
Fri 3rd March 2017
After the hugely successful public outdoor screenings as part of Made in Hull, the City of Culture’s opening week celebrations. We are pleased to announce that ‘Hullywood Icons’ will be exhibited in the HIP Gallery (Hull International Photography Gallery) on the ground floor of Princes Quay Hull from the 17th Feb to 2nd April 2017. The exhibition features a giant silver screen and over 100 printed images. It has been curated by Alan Raw and is free to attend. The print element of the exhibition is sponsored by GF Smith.
The brain child of Lens based Artist Quentin Budworth it began as a simple play on words and has gained a momentum worthy of an Oscar nominated Hollywood blockbuster. What began as a small project in a vast spectrum of large arts events has captured the imagination of people in a way its creator could only have dreamed of. Growing from a series of recreated classic movie moments to searching for 365 Hullywood, one for each day of Hull’s reign as City of Culture. The project has received worldwide recognition even reaching Hollywood itself. A documentary is already in process and a further film and book are in development.
The beauty of this project is its simplicity; take ordinary people living ordinary lives and ask them to recreate an image from their favourite movie. Post a call out on social media and wait for the floodgates to open. The response has been overwhelming from mum Sarah Rose–Crawford, suffering for her art in freezing temperatures as she recreated Ursula Andress’ Bond girl Honey Ryder on the Humber foreshore.
To Rick Gilroy, as Holly Marten [Joseph Cotton] recreating the Ferris wheel scene in The Third Man, at Hull Fair.
Rick said “I’m Hull Born and bred and a film buff, so the Hullywood Icons project was something I really wanted to be part of.”
Quentin Budworth said: ‘When I got a text from a friend saying that they’d just seen the Hullywood Icons on the national news on New Years Eve I almost fell off my chair which could have been potentially lethal as I was playing live on stage with the Hessle Ceilidh Band at Howden’s Hootenanny event at the time.’
Imagine Jim Wardlaw’s surprise when he awoke on New Year’s day to discover he had made the the national and international news after recreating Tom hanks role as Chuck Noland in Castaway. “it has been amazing” said Jim “I went to bed in 2016 and woke up famous in 2017, it’s incredible!”
Funded by the Arts Council Grants for the Arts, East Riding of Yorkshire Council and the City of Culture this project encapsulates how art can reach new audiences. This is an art project by the people of Hull for the people of Hull. It reflects the city's character, it's creativity, sense of fun and wry self-deprecating humour. While it is an homage to Hollywood and its surreal glamour it is also a celebration of the joyous reality of our imperfections.
The essence of this project is its underlying narrative. It is a love story from the people of Hull to their city.
This is a must see exhibition with new images accompanying those used in the live screenings. Hullywood Icons the exhibition runs from 17 February to 2 April 2017 at Hip the Hull International Photography Gallery Harbour Deck, Princes Dock St, Hull HU1 2PQ.
Opening times Tuedsay to Saturday 12-5 Sunday 12-4
