Public Art in Cardiff

I think I'm right in this, that large new builds have to support funding for public artworks.
This from "Wizard's" Flickr stream; Admiral paid for it??

https://www.flickr.com/photos/16189716@N08/15800044979/in/photostream/

It looks retro, I presume it will be lit with some sort of banded lighting effect, how long 'till it fails?

But all these "art" project get capital funding and are then left to rot.
Central Library artwork; Lighting failed two years ago
BT Building Top Ring; Lighting switched off to save money or failed.
Central Rail Station; Cader Idris sculpture moved to the bird sanctuary down the bay!
Not art work, but the new lantern lights on High Street, half have now failed

Even Cardiff's most iconic symbol the Pier Head Building, where the flood lights were switched off about 18months ago and the clock is the only thing left lit.
What a shame, how much would LED spots cost? (and cheap to run)

Might I add Cardiff Castle Clock Tower to the list.

I am frequently astonished (that after having been renovated at great expense a few years back) the ornate colourful alcoves containing the carvings don't even have any form of lighting to illuminate them at night. Have the bulbs blown?

It is particularly strange, that at Christmas, when the City is lit up pretty effectively with thousands of Christmas decorations, that one of the most effective 'Christmassy' things that we do have isn't lit at all.


On a more positive note, I am more than impressed by the spate of wall paintings that sprung up around the city a few months back. This kind of artwork on blank boring office and/or car park walls has been long overdue.

I saw the "Flash" for the first time yesterday.

I have to say it's very nice - as a Christmas decoration. As a year round piece of public art - I'm not so sure. It doesn't seem to say or mean anything.

What the designer intended


What the budget allowed, looks like a cast off from Barry Island fun park!


Sad that the SD2 car park lights have also failed, or not switched on anymore.

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign ... public-art

I am much heartened by this article about people successfully getting rid of crap civic art. What would you get rid of first in Cardiff? I'd pick the trite peace sculpture half way between the Assembly and the Norwegian Church.

That whole area around the Norwegian Church is like a sculpture park for bad public art.

There's the dwarf monk you mention.



Then there's the miner with weirdly deformed legs and, apparently, no sexual organs inside his overtight trousers.



But the crowning glory is a Captain Scott memorial made out of cracked bathroom tiles.

Wouldn't it be better if they stopped building all this tripe and put the money aside for one statement piece that spoke of civic pride

Don't be daft.

Wouldn't it be better if they stopped building all this tripe and put the money aside for one statement piece that spoke of civic pride

As far as the Cardiff Bay ones are concerned, for once it's not 'they' who are to blame!

It's not public money that paid for this stuff. The crap art installations around the Norwegian Church are private efforts by various weird cults and assorted charities. Whether they should have been allowed to use public land for them is another matter.

I actually quite like the Captain Scott sculpture but the rest are dross.

I'd get rid of every piece of public 'art' in Queen Street other than the Nye Bevan statue which although crap now acts as a rallying point for demonstrations ranging from animal rights to anti-austerity to keep Cardiff City blue. In fact I'd rip up all of the street furniture in Queen Street as well and replace it with something less blingy. It's so cluttered down there. Has anyone in the Council heard the phrase 'less is more'?

In terms of other public art I think a moratorium is called for. It seems to be that any major development MUST have a piece of public art as part of the planning conditions. Most of the time developers go to a corporate public art catalogue and pick something anodyne and meaningless to tick the box. I'd rather see that money go towards additional tree planting, put in a pot for bigger art projects or actually going towards making the developments a little less mediocre.