Color Line, Norway / Color Fantasy

Color Line AS is Norway's largest and one of Europe's leading cruise and transport shipping companies. The company deploys a total of six ships on four routes linking seven ports in four countries; Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Germany. The Color Fantasy was the first of two specifically designed ships destined to travel the very popular route between Oslo, Norway and Kiel, Germany.

With the delivery of the Color Fantasy, Color Line introduced a new concept to the cruise and ferry industry - a cruise ship with car decks. Art an decoration are important ingredients in the international cruise experience, and Color Line has chosen to focus on quality artwork in harmony with the elegant and comfortable interiors onboard.

The Color Fantasy is characterized by a liberal amount of art and decoration spread throughout the ship. A total of 3232 pieces of art created by 55 artists from 17 countries have resulted in almost 15 tons of artwork in public areas, corridors, suites and cabins. Twenty-one of the 55 artists are Norwegian, and most of the artwork in the public areas was commissioned expressly for the ship.

The creation of an art gallery at sea can be a challenge. The sculptures at either end of the Street each required extensive calculation from and close cooperation with engineers in order to assure their stability. Materials must be durable and maintenance-free, as well as comply with international safety rules and regulations.

The choice of artists and artwork for Color Fantasy is mainly a reflection of the different themes onboard as well as close cooperation with the architects. Art and decoration are an important part of creating a unique personality for each area and activity on the ship. The themes of the Forward Stair present the Hansa period as representative of the traditional ties between Germany and Norway, and the Cape Farewell project as an example of the centuries old fascination with the Far North. However, it was evident that a Color Line ship should be filled with colorful art, and the Aft Stair in particular as well as the Color Fantasy as a whole is a tribute to Color as manifested through the eyes of artists.