An in-flight art gallery has been launched by the trend-setting Virgin Atlantic. The new launch of "Gallery in the Air" is the first art gallery that gives travelers the opportunity to purchase art mid-flight.
The Huffington Post reported that the launch is part of an initiative costing £100 million to upgrade the upper-class cabin of Virgin Atlantic.
According to The Telegraph "Gallery in the Air" will operate from Feb. 21 to 28 and feature the work of Ben Eine, a British street artist who is making waves in the art world. David Cameron presented one of his pieces to President Barack Obama as a gift during a visit to Washington. The Telegraph reported that Eine's work can be seen on streets throughout London.
"The Gallery in the Air exhibition will feature 10 of Eine's trademark typography-style works, with prices ranging from £2,500 to £15,000," reported The Telegraph.
The artwork features bubble letter designs with phrases such as "Virgin on the impossible," "man and his machines," and "first century metropolis," reported The Huffington Post.
Eine said to The Telegraph, "We have created a completely original way of appreciating and buying art - a new frontier for the industry."
His work will be on display at London Heathrow, JFK and Newwark Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses. Once the upper-class passengers get on the plane, they can take a virtual tour of the gallery in the air before purchasing specific pieces, in a similar manner to purchasing duty free items.
"I respect Virgin Atlantic's brave and challenging attitude and the way it goes against the grain, so I jumped at the chance to be part of the first ever Gallery in the Air," Eine said, according to The Daily Mail. "My philosophy through all my work, be it on canvas or on the street, is about pushing boundaries and not simply going with the flow because everyone else is doing something a certain way."
The Daily Mail reported that Eine researched the airline and Richard Branson for the exhibit and used his experiences from London and New York.
Branson said to The Daily Mail about Eine, "I am a huge fan of Ben's work and like us, he does things differently and doesn't follow the crowd. We're delighted to be working with him, mixing things up a bit and having a bit of fun along the way."
