Portsmouth's Roaring Art: 45 Lions Celebrate City’s Centennial Pride

Portsmouth is celebrating its 100th birthday as a city with a special art trail featuring 45 unique lion sculptures. These lions are placed all around the city, starting in Cosham and ending in Fratton. Each lion has been painted by a different artist, and every design tells a story about Portsmouth. For example, one lion is white with pink heart-shaped eyes and colorful squares, each with a message about the city. Another lion is painted to look like it is wearing a suit, complete with a brown jacket, black tie, ginger mane, and a brown hat. There is also a brown lion with green and grey details, inspired by the history of libraries in Portsmouth.

The lion trail is part of the Portsmouth100 centenary, marking 100 years since Portsmouth was officially named a city in 1926. The project invited both well-known local artists and new talent to design lions that reflect the people, coastline, and heritage of Portsmouth. Or Misgav, one of the artists, recently moved to Portsmouth and wanted to give back to the community. She painted a white lion covered in data graphs, representing information from the people of Portsmouth. Or described her lion as a 'love letter to Portsmouth' and hopes that people will interact with her artwork by looking closely at the data and seeing it from different perspectives.

Another artist, November Tan, moved to Portsmouth to complete her PhD and was inspired by the city's welcoming atmosphere. She decided to create a lion that celebrates libraries and literary places in Portsmouth. November collected stories from local people by setting up a booth in four different libraries, gathering hundreds of stories about favorite places to read. Amy Palmer, who studied at university in Portsmouth, painted a green lion inspired by the city's wildlife and nature. She feels passionate about animals and believes they deserve respect. The lion trail will be open for nine weeks, from July 13th to September 13th, giving everyone a chance to explore the city and discover all the lions. The trail is a way for people to celebrate Portsmouth's history, community, and natural beauty.