Floating iceberg paintings bring climate message

Boaters are in for a surprising sight on the River Dart in Devon where three large paintings of icebergs have been moored.

The 16ft (5m) by 6ft (2m) images have been created by artist Anthony Garratt to highlight climate change and arctic exploration.

"They're out of context and they raise awareness," he said.

The pieces, called The Melt, are floating on the River Dart just off Dartmouth town, at Parsons Mud near Dittisham and near Stoke Gabriel.

Mr Garratt said The Melt was inspired by Ella Hibbert, who is attempting to circumnavigate the Arctic non-stop and solo, and arctic explorer Jim McNeill.

"The Melt is a a sort of visual tribute to icebergs and modern day explorations of the Arctic," he said.

"They're not painted in a delicate way but quite a domineering way that interrupts a journey along these temperate rivers and just tries to create an empathy for environments that we might never see."

The reverse of the panels depict paintings of icebergs from the 1800s.

Getting the paintings afloat had been an engineering as well as artistic challenge, he said.

"Many, many people have helped along the way, so thanks to the crane drivers and all the rest of them including Creekside boatyard."

The paintings are due to stay on the Dart for two months before moving to Exeter and the Teign estuary in August.

Follow BBC Devon on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].