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Ipswich's Waterfront has a striking new landmark after Sammi Wong's World Illustration Award-winning design was unveiled as a giant installation on Paul's silo building.
Why it matters: The 29-metre wide by 27-metre canvas celebrates local creative talent and transforms a prominent grey space into a vibrant landmark through community partnerships.
The big picture: Sammi's original award-winning piece celebrates innovation, history and community in Ipswich while retaining the beloved local character Digby the blue octopus, created by artist John D Edwards.
The details: The massive artwork was unveiled yesterday afternoon on Wednesday, 9 April, commissioned by Ipswich Central as part of its strategy to deliver creative enhancements across the town centre.
Behind the scenes: The installation was made possible through collaboration between Ipswich Central, Ipswich Borough Council, the University of Suffolk and Suffolk New College.
"Public art has the power to shape the way people feel about a place. This new art installation is not only a visual transformation of a grey space, but a celebration of local talent and effective partnership working," said Lee Walker, Chief Executive Officer at Ipswich Central.
What they're saying: "We're incredibly proud to have brought this vibrant mural to the Paul's Silo building as a new landmark for Ipswich," added Steve Flory, Chair of Ipswich Central. "This piece celebrates local creativity on a huge scale for all to see. It's a symbol of what positive collaboration can achieve for the benefit of the town."
The artist herself expressed delight at seeing her design realised on such a scale: "I'm absolutely delighted to see my design come to life in such a powerful way. It's been amazing to watch something that started as a conceptual design for a university degree module has become a large-scale feature of the town I love," Wong said.
She added: "I really hope that this will inspire other students and potential art students to know that their efforts can elevate to such bigger things!"
Craig Shimmon, Head of Marketing at Suffolk New College, said: "We are incredibly proud of Sammi's involvement in this project and feel very lucky to now have her as part of our team."
Professor Jenny Higham, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Suffolk added: "Having Sammi's work displayed here in Ipswich will not only inspire others but act as a showcase for other students and graduates to flourish in their chosen careers."
Behind the art: Wong graduated from the University of Suffolk with a BA (Hons) in Graphic Design (Graphic Illustration) in 2023 and now works at Suffolk New College. Her design won in the New Talent Site Specific category for her project "Re-imagine Ipswich = Discover. Connect. Belong."
John D Edwards, creator of Digby the Octopus, expressed happiness at seeing his character reimagined, saying he is "delighted that he will continue to bring a smile to Ipswich."
Ipswich illustrator Sammi Wong wins international award
Sammi Wong, a University of Suffolk graduate from Ipswich, has won a prestigious World Illustration Award for her project celebrating Ipswich.
What's next: The giant artwork will be on public display for all to enjoy throughout spring and summer 2025.
The bottom line: This landmark installation showcases how local talent, effective partnerships and creative vision can transform urban spaces and foster community pride.
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