“I want to update the conventional guided tour into something magical that weaves together science fiction, environmental themes and local architecture into a future fairytale – as seen from the River Mersey Ferry” – Anita Fontaine

Step aboard the iconic Mersey Ferry to inhabit a fantasy-fiction world exploring an evolved reality brought about by climate change, rising sea levels and tropical climates. 

Anita Fontaine’s augmented ecology of the River Mersey invites the viewer to suspend belief and encounter a kaleidoscopic world through custom-built viewfinders on the decks of a Mersey Ferry. Psychedelic audio-visual sculptures explode from land and water, and the Liverpool skyline playfully shapeshifts revealing a surreal alternate reality of the urban landscape in The Blue Violet River, with 3d creations by Fontaine and artist Ignas Blažys

The work can be experienced by passengers via eight custom-built, tablet-based viewfinders on the decks of the Mersey Ferry. AND Festival will also provide headphones at the terminal and on deck, for passengers who want to listen to the audio track. There will also be an abstract, physical, pop-up performance ritual during each cruise (Friday – Sunday), featuring costumed inhabitants of the River, from Anita’s Fontaine’s future fairytale.

The Blue Violet River playfully envisions a peaceful future vision of evolved humanity, freed from an unsustainable past and tuned into a new core consciousness of planetary sound frequencies. From the river’s intercontinental trade to the regular blooms of moon jellyfish drawn in by tidal currents, our post-industrial perspective of the River Mersey playfully warps in this future-forward techno fantasy.

We recommend starting The Blue Violet River from Pier Head, Liverpool. The total length of the cruise, augmented reality and audio experience is 50 minutes.

The Blue Violet River will be presented on board Mersey Ferries:
Thursday 24 June + Friday 25 June, cruises are every hour, on the hour 10am – 4pm  (last cruise 4pm)

Saturday 26 June + Sunday 27 June, cruises are every hour, on the hour 10am – 5pm (last cruise 5pm)

Tickets: https://www.andfestival.org.uk/events/the-blue-violet-river/
Book your River Explorer Cruise ticket via the Mersey Ferries website. We recommend booking in advance and arriving 10 minutes before the cruise time, to collect headphones for the experience.

24 – 27 June | More info + tickets www.andfestival.org.uk/events/the-blue-violet-river