A FORMER steam engine fireman from Newport is to petition the UK Government to preserve an art instillation thought to cost around £10 million from being dismantled.
See Monster is one of ten projects funded by the taxpayer in the UK Government’s Unboxed 2022 Festival of Creativity and Innovation – also known as the ‘Festival of Brexit’.
The large-scale artwork was set over four levels on a decommissioned North Sea oil rig, and had been housed over the Bristol Channel in Weston-Super-Mare.
The instillation was in place for eight weeks, having initially been due to open in July, only to see this pushed back until September.
It has now been closed and is set to be dismantled, with the jungle on the former oil rig due to be transported to a new community garden on Weston’s seafront.
Billy Dare, a great grandad from Newport, was taken to see See Monster last month on a trip led by STEAM Co. – a non-profit community enterprise that runs sessions and activities to encourage creativity, especially among young people.
Mr Dare used to work on the Great Western Railway steam trains on the line to Barry Island.
He said it was “a waste” to dismantle the instillation, and hoped the UK Government would allow his old workplace to give it a new home.
“It breaks my heart to think they’re going to cut See Monster up after spending so much money and only being open to the public for a few weeks” said Mr Dare.
“I’ll never forget the sight of all those steam locos that were sent to be cut up at the scrap yard at Barry Island.
“It’s happening all over again with See Monster which has been incredibly inspiring for all our kids.
“My great grandson and his friends loved it – what can we do to save it?
“Who knows maybe we could bring it up to Barry Island if Weston don’t want it and we could give See Monster a new home.”
On Friday, November 25, Nick Corston, co-founder of STEAM Co., will present a petition to parliament calling to save the art installation.
The petition will call for funding for the project to be extended for a year, and to tow it to Barry Island for retirement if it can no longer be housed in Weston-Super-Mare.
“The response from everyone we’ve taken to SeeMonster has been the same,” he said.
“While many fell in love with it, everyone was appalled that after such an investment of tax-payers’ money, See Monster is to be scrapped after just eight weeks.
“We passionately feel See Monster should be saved.
“It can be a beacon for the creativity revolution our children, our communities and our country so desperately need.”
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