Queen Sonja of Norway has made her way to the Big Apple.
The Queen personally visited the Hurtigruten MS Fram expedition ship docked in New York City on a repositioning cruise to announce a partnership between the Norwegian expedition cruise line and the Queen Sonja Print Award, which awards prizes to Norwegian graphic artists.
The highlight of the partnership will be the display of more than 600 works, including some from the queen herself, on the new Roald Amundsen, which will be deployed in May 2019 as the world's first hybrid-powered expedition ship. Approximately 20 artists and a variety of different printmaking techniques will be represented.
The queen, charming and funny, said during an April 15 shipboard reception that the presence of the art on the Roald Amundsen would provide Norwegian artists international exposure as a large percentage of passengers on the ships would be from other countries. Calling graphic art "affordable and accessible," The Queen drew a line back to early Viking history when she presented the plans for the new ship that would carry so much Norwegian art.
"The Viking ships were decorated with the most beautiful wooden carvings: Dragon heads and flowers, ornaments and animals adorned Leif Erickson's ship - as he fought his way through the waves towards Newfoundland, where he first set foot," the Queen said. "Today, 1,000 years later - we continue the tradition - and decorate a proud ship - sailing on our oceans on a much more peaceful mission than back in the early Viking age."
Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam said the line is excited about the new partnership and the opportunities it represents to guests. He said the queen, QSPA and Hurtigruten "found each other through a common love for the outdoors, nature and art."
"We are building the next generational expedition ships," Skjeldam said at Hurtigruten. "At QSPA, they are highlighting the next generation of young artists. This partnership is a very natural fit."
The onboard art collection on MS Roald Amundsen will include multiple prints in all suites and cabins, and public spaces such as restaurants, staircases and corridors. Close to 20 different artists will adorn the ship with their work. The partnership includes a plan to expand the cooperation to include curation of the artwork onboard MS Firdtjof Nansen, slated to debut in summer of 2019 and a hybrid ship, partly battery powered. In addition to its traditional coastal voyages along the Norwegian coast, Hurtigruten operates a number of expedition ships that take guests on explorer voyages in different parts of the world.
The Roald Amundsen, named for the famous Norwegian polar explorer, will explore destinations such as Antarctica, the Arctic and the Norwegian coast. The ship, according to Hurtigruten, is the word's first hybrid-powered expedition ship, able to sail fully on electrical power. The ship's interior design will feature Scandinavian natural materials - and Norwegian graphic art.
With large battery packages and "groundbreaking" green technology, the Roald Amundsen will join the line's growing fleet of small, custom-built expedition ships, Skjeldam said.
The QSPA was established in 2011 to generate interest in and promote the development of graphic art. The Foundation presents the award every other year, a cash prize of 400,000 Norwegian krone, about $50,000, and a residency stay at an art studio.
Hurtigruten, which has been sailing for 125 years, offers expedition voyages to more than 200 destinations in more than 30 countries. With 14 expedition ships, the line offers voyages to Antarctica, South America, Caribbean, Norway, Greenland, Iceland and Arctic Canada. New destination includes Alaska, Russia and the Northwest Passage.
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