Wanted: Temporary home for 40 giant rats!
APPEAL: Clare Huby and John Prowse, director at Norse Sky, with a giant rat sculpture
By Rick Lyon, Co-Editor
The creative team behind the region’s latest sculpture trail is appealing for assistance.
The A Mischief of Rats project requires a spacious warehouse in Hull to serve as a temporary workshop and storage facility for up to 40 giant rat sculptures.
Space is needed from February 3 to May 9, and the team would like to speak to property owners and members of the community who may have access to suitable property.
This temporary home will be crucial for artist decoration and storage of the rat sculptures before they are relocated around Hull and East Yorkshire for the grand public reveal.
Clare Huby, co-director of A Mischief of Rats, said: “We hope to find a business in Hull with available storage space where our rats will be decorated and securely stored until they are ready to be installed as part of the A Mischief of Rats trail.
HOME NEEDED: One of the giant rat sculptures
“Ideally, we need an area of around 3,000 sq ft with lorry access and wide door entry to the building. Running water and toilet facilities would be helpful for our artists who pitch up at the warehouse for a few weeks each to complete their artwork.
“The lease would be for temporary use for just over three months, until the rats are ready to scatter to their new homes across the region.”
A Mischief of Rats aims to attract visitors to less-well-known locations in Hull and the East Riding. It follows in the footsteps of previous successful sculpture trails which have captured the imagination of people from across the UK and raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for local charities, including The Larkin Toads, A Moth for Amy and Puffins Galore!
A Mischief of Rats will raise much-needed funds towards the cost of a new state-of-the-art scanner to add to the life-saving facilities provided by the Daisy Appeal at Castle Hill Hospital.
Hull musician Mick Ronson, who died from cancer in 1993 aged just 46, was the inspiration for this latest project.
The guitarist first made an impact with the Hull-based band The Rats, before earning international acclaim as a musician and producer, notably as a significant member of David Bowie’s band for five studio albums including The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and Spiders from Mars.
Clare said: “A Mischief of Rats is all about exploring the different facets of these inquisitive creatures, from their help with health and medical science to their prevalence in popular culture and their link with ships and the sea.
“We’re sure the trail will tempt visitors from near and far to the area. We’ve had a great response from businesses who want to sponsor a rat, and we hope we can find someone who can spare the space to house what promises to be a spectacular artistic transformation.”
For more information or to offer assistance, email clare@amischiefofrats.co.uk.