'Mooning' Mona Lisa statue goes on display at Bristol museum

Vanguard exhibition director, Mary McCarthy, inspecting life-size bronze artwork by Bristol street artist Nick Walker
Vanguard exhibition director, Mary McCarthy, inspecting life-size bronze artwork by Bristol street artist Nick Walker Credit: PA

A life-sized statue of the Mona Lisa 'mooning' has gone on display at a Bristol museum.

The 3D bronze sculpture, created by artist Nick Walker, is on show at the M Shed and is called ‘Moona Lisa’.

The 260kg structure is a slightly cheeky, re-imagined version of Leonardo da Vinci’s world-renowned painting.

Walker created the sculpture in response to a challenge from fellow artist Banksy, who said nothing more could be done with the Mona Lisa.

Staff at the M Shed bringing in the Moona Lisa for the Vanguard exhibtion Credit: PA

To create the piece, a rig comprising of 160 DSLR cameras was constructed which captured a 360 image of a live model dressed as the 'Moona Lisa'.

From this image, a digital model was created which was then used as the mould for the final bronze sculpture.

It has been installed at M Shed in Bristol for its ‘Vanguard: Bristol Street Art’ exhibition, which explores the role Bristolian artists have played in the development of British street art.

Emerging from the infamous early 1980s Bristol scene, Walker has become one of the biggest names in street art.

The Moona Lisa will be on show for six weeks until October 31.