Artist Chris Dobrowolski's family car of more than 45 years inspires the one-man show that he is bringing to the [Live] Art Club on Wednesday.

The gun metal blue Triumph Herald Estate bought in June 1967 by his father Kazimierz was designed by Michelotti in Turin, Italy, and after being a part of his family for more than four decades Mr Dobrowolski decided to take it on a pilgrimage back to its Italian home.

Forty-six-year-old Mr Dobrowolski, who grew up in Braintree and now lives in Colchester, said: 'The car is an old Triumph Herald. It was the only time we had a brand new car. My dad bought it when my mum, Iris, was pregnant with me and he gave it to me when I was 18. This car was on the road for about 45 years.

'It's a quintessentially English car, but like lots of cars in the 1960s, it was designed by an Italian.

'Because the car had so much to do with my conception I thought I would take the car back to where it was first created.'

To prepare the Triumph Herald for its Italian journey, Mr Dobrowolski spent a winter repairing the car before setting off on the one month trip last year.

As well as returning the car to Turin he also decided to visit areas in Italy where his Polish father served as a radio operator in World War Two, and among the places he visited was the site of The Battle of Monte Cassino and Predappio, the birthplace Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.

All these experiences are combined in his show All Roads Lead To Rome.

'The show is a mixture of my mum's family photo album, the car and World War Two,' said Mr Dobrowolski.

• All Roads Lead To Rome is at the [Live] Art Club at Norwich Arts Centre on Wednesday, May 14 at 11.45pm.

For tickets and more details visit www.nnfestival.org.uk

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