See the four average faces of Merseysiders
LJMU can reveal faces from different generations in Liverpool, with the help of the Sea of Faces shown during the Cunard’s 175th anniversary Three Queens celebration.
As part of the Amazing Graces projection show, curated and produced by The Colour Project in collaboration with Liverpool City Council, hundreds of images of the people of Merseyside, collated at various locations around the city and sent in by enthusiastic members of the public, were beamed onto the Three Graces.
Using the latest technology, Professor Caroline Wilkinson, Director of LJMU School of Art and Design and the University’s Face Lab, used the ‘Sea of Faces’ to create four average faces of Merseysiders - an adult male and female and a child male and female.
Professor Wilkinson commented: “We were delighted to be a part of such an historic event for the city. The images collected were of people of all ages, genders and ethnic groups and the final images, produced using the most up-to-date face morphing software, represent the average facial appearances across Merseyside. We decided to create four images to show faces from different generations.”
The Face Lab is a research group based at the University’s School of Art and Design which completes forensic and archaeological research, as well as consultancy work for organisations such as the Police, national and international museums and archaeological institutes. Research conducted at the highly specialised lab relates to facial identification, craniofacial analysis and depiction, preserved bodies and facial animation. It is equipped with the latest technology including laser scanning and 3D-printing as well as modelling, texturing, animation and haptic reconstruction software.
Professor Wilkinson began her professional career as a medical artist and has an MPhil in Medical Art and a PhD in Facial Anthropology. Her work is exhibited in over 30 galleries and museums worldwide and she is a keen advocate of art-science collaboration and is committed to increasing public awareness of this cross-disciplinary field. Her research has included high profile cases such as the craniofacial depiction of Richard III, Mary, Queen of Scots and St Nicolas.
