WORLD'S LARGEST MONA LISA UNVEILED IN WREXHAM WALES

A GIANT VERSION OF LEONARDO DO VINCI'S MASTERPIECE MONA LISA HAS GONE ON DISPLAY AT THE EAGLES MEADOW SHOPPING CENTRE IN WREXHAM, WALES. IT MEASURES 17.5m, COVERS 240m sq AND IN 50 TIMES BIGGER THAN THE ORIGINAL 16th CENTURY WHICH IS HANGING IN THE LOUVRE, PARIS. THE WREXHAM VERSION, WHICH COULD ACCOMMODATE 22 LONDON DOUBLE-DECKER BUSES, IS MORE THAN DOUBLE THE SIZE OF THE VERSION PAINTED BY ROLF HARRIS IN EDINBURGH IN 2005. ARTIST KATY WEBSTER WAS IN CHARGE OF THE PROJECT WHICH INVOLVED 245 PEOPLE AND TOOK 978 MAN HOURS TO PAINT, USING 86 LITERS OF PAINT. IT WAS PAINTED ON SCORES OF DIFFERENT SEGMENTS BY COMMUNITY GROUPS INCLUDING VICTORIA PRIMARY SCHOOL AND THE HAULFAN SCHOOL FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. SPEAKING AFTER THE MEGA MONA LISA WA UNVEILED THE ARTIST SAID: "IT'S KIND OF MIND BLOWING HOW BIG SHE IS BUT THE SMILE IS STILL AS ENIGMATIC AS EVER. IT TOOK OVER A WEEK TO DO HER FACE, THAT WAS THE HARDEST BECAUSE EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE SO WE HAD TO MAKE SURE IT WAS EXACTLY RIGHT. OUR VERSION HAS A DIFFERENT STYLE TO THE ORIGINAL BECAUSE THE PAINT IS ACRYLIC, BUT I THINK IT WORKS." THE WORK WAS CREATED TO RAISE MONEY FOR HOPE HOUSE CHILDREN'S HOSPICE WHICH PROVIDES VITAL SHELTER FOR TERMINALLY ILL YOUNGSTERS AND THEIR FAMILIES. SUPPORTERS OF THE CHARITY CAN BUY A PIECE OF THE REPLICA WITH THE MONEY GOING TO HOPE HOUSE. THE VAST COPY WILL REMAIN IN PLACE FOR TWO YEARS BEFORE BEING BROKEN UP