A blank wall is being transformed into a work of art at the Tennessee Aquarium, and the artist hopes his work takes visitors to a biome half a world away.
Artist David Rock has painted murals for zoos and aquariums around the world. Right now his goal is to make the back wall of the Penguins’ Rock disappear into an illusion of infinite distance. “If I do my job well, no one will notice the art,” says Mr. Rock. “The visitor will seem to look into the penguins’ world as if they were really in the Southern Hemisphere.” Mr. Rock accomplishes this task by using the right colors to re-create the icy feel of the sub-Antarctic islands that are home to gentoo and macaroni penguins.
Mr. Rock spends a lot of time researching each project long before he begins to paint. He has traveled to Africa to study the jungle and grasslands that has been the subject of his awesome murals at the Bronx Zoo’s “Jungle World,” and the African scenes at the Nashville Zoo. “I love going to new places and working with everyone at zoos and aquariums,” said Mr. Rock.
Most recently the artist has been working on a “mountains to prairie” mural at the Wildlife Museum in Chinook, Montana. That project will take Mr. Rock months to complete. The mural at Penguins’ Rock will be re-created from his mind’s eye in less than two weeks.
“David is very well known and highly respected by zoos and aquariums around the world,” says director of husbandry and operations Jackson Andrews. “There are only a handful of artists in zoos and aquariums and nine out of 10 will tell you David is the best. We are very lucky to have him painting at the Tennessee Aquarium.”
Penguins Rock will open in Chattanooga May 3.
Artist David Rock has painted murals for zoos and aquariums around the world. Click to enlarge.