Museum of Science and Industry

Do you think you or someone you know could be Manchester’s modern day answer to the Mona Lisa? MOSI is appealing for people with the ‘Mona Lisa touch’ from throughout Greater Manchester to send in their pictures to be part of a gallery of images for the Da Vinci – The Genius exhibition, which is currently showing at MOSI until 13 June 2010.

The competition aims to attract anyone who has the qualities (not necessarily the features) of Leonardo da Vinci’s classic painting, the Mona Lisa, and could apply to women, men or even pets! The candidate would simply have to have an air of mystery, calm and an enigmatic smile. Please send in your pictures via email to: images@mosi.org.uk

The Da Vinci – The Genius exhibition is the largest of its kind in Europe and includes a dedicated section on the Mona Lisa, which features the UK premiere of the work of Pascal Cotte. Cotte used a special hi-resolution camera to reveal the original colours and details of the Mona Lisa - such as her missing eyebrows, a fur lined coat on her lap and brighter blues and greens of the background.

Last year, actress Michelle Keegan (pictured - who plays Tina McIntyre in Coronation Street), had a full makeover as the Mona Lisa, to celebrate the start of the Manchester-based exhibition. Contributors to the exhibition will feature alongside Michelle in a photo gallery of Manchester Mona Lisas.

MOSI director Tony Hill said: “We’d love to hear from anyone who thinks that they have the Mona Lisa touch. It’s not about resembling her; but about the enigmatic qualities which have given her such an enduring international appeal. We are searching for the modern-day Manchester equivalent and we’ll consider all entries for our gallery – however amusing! This is the first time such a large-scale exhibition on Da Vinci has been held in Britain so please do join in the fun and send in your entries so we can have as many Manchester Monas as possible.”

The exhibition also includes 65 machines such as a glider, parachute and military tank, which have been created from Da Vinci’s designs and notes and demonstrate the full range of his talents. Italian artisans worked with Da Vinci’s drawings, as well as his unusual shorthand (written from right to left) and Florentine dialect, to bring his work to life for the first time in the techniques and materials of 15th century Italy. 

Da Vinci – The Genius runs until 13 June 2010 at MOSI (Museum of Science & Industry), Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester.  Ticket prices are £7.50 for adults, £5 for concessions or £20 for a family ticket (2 adults, 2 children).  Tickets are available at the MOSI Box Office or www.ticketmaster.co.uk, call 0844 847 2261 (24 hours). Group bookings: 0844 847 2354. Tickets are non-refundable. For more information look up www.mosi.org.uk or www.davincithegenius.com

For media information or images please call Sarah Roe on 0161 606 0176 m: 07847 372647.

Notes to editors

About Grande Exhibitions: Creators and promoters of the Exhibition who have researched, sourced and interpreted much of what is contained in the exhibition.  Based in Rome Italy and Melbourne Australia, Grande Exhibitions is dedicated to delivering quality blockbuster exhibitions of mass appeal that entertain and educate

About The Anthropos Foundation: From Il Genio de Leonardo Da Vinci Museo in Rome, talented and gifted Artisans have made the machines inventions and many items that you see on display at the exhibitions.  They have spent more than 10 years bringing to life over 120 of Leonardo’s concepts and designs and use in the main techniques and materials available in 15^th Century Italy

The Radisson Edwardian, Manchester is the official sponsor of the exhibition.

For media enquiries please contact: Sarah Roe, MOSI press and publicity officer on Tel: 0161 606 0176, m: 07847 372647

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