On Board with Rankin
17th September, 2025 to 28th September, 2025
Battersea Power Station
Turbine Hall B – Ground Floor
Circus Rd W
Nine Elms
London
SW11 8DD
Renowned photographer Rankin partners with P&O Cruises to unveil a striking visual narrative aboard Arvia, redefining the modern holiday at sea.
The once-familiar world of ocean travel has taken a new turn — polished, bold, and unabashedly modern. A new photography exhibition, On Board with Rankin, sets out to capture this transformation, pairing one of Britain’s most distinctive visual storytellers with P&O Cruises aboard its newest vessel, Arvia.
The series, unveiled at the revitalised Battersea Power Station, offers an unflinching yet romantic portrayal of today’s cruising culture — worlds away from its reputation of matching windbreakers and fixed itineraries. Rankin, known for his raw and arresting portraits, turns his lens on a new maritime experience, one steeped in design, spontaneity and a sense of independent escape.
“This isn’t a cruise as you once knew it,” Rankin said. “This is travel with depth, design and personality.”
Courtesy of P&O
The images — a mix of documentary and high-style portraiture — capture the lives and faces of those who bring the ship to life. From the poised flamboyance of performer Layton Williams to the gravitas of chef Marco Pierre White, the work balances intimacy and flair. Guests themselves become part of the narrative, their expressions and moments forming a tableau of what cruising has become.
“This project is about freedom. Real people enjoying a truly elevated experience,” Rankin noted. “It’s about stepping onto a ship that feels more like a boutique resort. Sophisticated, spacious and full of surprises. You make it your own.”
Far from the rigid rhythms of old, today’s voyages offer an open horizon — literally and figuratively. “I wanted to capture that anticipation and energy of a P&O Cruises holiday,” Rankin said. “You’re out at sea, the horizon is wide open and your day could be anything you want it to be. Spa mornings, fine dining, contemporary theatre or quiet time with a book by the infinity pool. It’s that sense of possibility.”
Courtesy of P&O
The exhibition is as much about transformation as it is celebration. It casts cruising in a new light: a cultural, architectural and sensorial experience. “Modern cruising is no longer about coach tours and set schedules,” Rankin said. “It’s about curated experiences: contemporary speciality dining, five-star views, architectural design, immersive entertainment and a sense of independent escape that’s as rejuvenating as it is exciting.”
Where better, then, to showcase this new chapter than Battersea Power Station — a monument to reinvention in the heart of London.
“Where better to exhibit this transformation than Battersea Power Station, a destination reborn, just like cruising itself,” Rankin said. “Bold, cultural and iconic. Come see what the future of a holiday at sea looks like.”
On Board with Rankin opens on the 17th of September, 2025 until the 28th of September, 2025 at Battersea Power Station
©2025 Rankin
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