Breaking a Guinness World Record is the ultimate bragging right. Guinness is a wildly popular, forever ongoing international contest of humanity’s greatest feats. Guinness World Records day took place this year on November 17th and they took this idea to a whole different level. Each year for the past 10 years, thousands of people around the world simultaneously celebrate the day by tackling their chosen record. Many succeed and go on to be written into the Guinness World Record books until the day someone surpasses them.
Reebok CrossFit decided to take on two particular challenges: the world’s longest and largest 3D street art. This one piece is considered to break two records at once, effectively toppling the past records. The work was commissioned from London-based street art duo 3D Joe and Max. These artists have traveled the globe for the last 7 years creating masterful pieces from New York to Shanghai. Major clients include giants such as Google, the BBC, and Amazon. Their most famous pieces range from pop culture references to insightful and dramatic artwork.
These two ran into many challenges as they got started, according to artist Joe Hill. The task took place in London’s West India Quays in Canary Wharf and took several days to complete. Such a large painting had to be completed with the assistance of a large team, with Joe and Max leading the charge. London’s typical wind and rain put a damper on progress. The team ended up working through the night under the cover of large tents to finish by their deadline. This level of dedication and tenacity brought them to completion on schedule, with very few issues. Just the attitude that is necessary for carrying a world record.
“Just to give you an idea of the scale: Normally when we create these kinds of pictures, it is about eighty meters squared and it takes about four days,” says Hill. “This is over a thousand meters squared and we have got a week.” The duo described this feat as one of the most “epic tasks they have ever undertaken.”
They did run into the issue of another team attempting to beat the same record the weekend before they were scheduled the finish. The size they now had to beat was 1,111 meters squared. Their original design was only 1,011 meters squared so they had to adjust; making longer and wider before deeming the artwork complete. If anyone is looking to topple their record next year, the final count is 1,160.4 meters squared and 106.5 meters long, making their street art both the largest and the longest in the Guinness World Record books.
The final product consists of snowy cliffs looking down into a massive canyon. At the end you can see an enormous waterfall. There is so much attention to detail in the painting, particularly when it comes to the perspective of the viewer. Different brush strokes have to be used at different stages to create the 3D effect. A large and intricate Reebok CrossFit logo graces the side of one of the cliffs.
This massive artwork, upon completion, became the largest Reebok CrossFit area (an unofficial record) where people could demonstrate their skills above this enormous canyon. The general public was invited to participate in Reebok CrossFit’s WOD (Workout of the Day) and learn a few things about the benefits of CrossFit. Professionals were there on hand to help them in their introduction. This lead to some fantastic marketing for Reebok, strengthening their brand image within the fitness community. Altogether, its a pretty fantastic achievement for the artists and Reebok.
