Go Go Gorillas artist skips down to Great Yarmouth seafront

Norfolk artist Mik Richardson will be creating live art with a difference this weekend when he uses skips as canvasses for his work. Mik, famous for his Freddie Radio Go Go gorilla on the gorilla art trail in Norwich last year, will be creating murals of Norfolk landscapes on the side of the skips next to the Sealife Centre in Great Yarmouth. Mik hit the headlines last year when his Freddie Mercury gorilla was removed from the art trail because the singer's estate objected to the caricature. Following discussions it was repainted and returned to the plinth. The gorilla then sold for £20,000, raising money for the charity Break. He has already been commissioned to paint drgaon's for next year's event. The work is the result of a partnership between Great Yarmouth skip hire company WT Skip Hire and Great Yarmouth Tourism. WT Skip Hire director Gary Thurtle says: “We are big fans of Mik's work, so approached him with the idea of doing something for us, creating art using landscapes from the areas we deliver skips to. He loved the idea.” “We like the idea of challenging people's notions of what art is and where you see it. If Banksy can create art on the side of a building, why can't we do the same on a skip? Perhaps we'll inspire some young people to pick up a brush. We'd also like to exhibit the skips when they're finished.” Mik will be painting two skips over two days - Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd - from 10am until 5pm. Free entry.