Ever wondered how to unveil a sculpture that’s the height of a block of flats?
Don’t. Find another symbolic way of doing it instead.
That’s what we were asked to do when Xcite Campaign Management needed a giant bow prop to mark the ‘opening’ of a huge piece of public art in the centre of Cardiff.
The artwork is called Alliance and was made by Jean-Bernard Metais. It is a 17m diameter ring with a 22m high spike leaning against it. Whatever you think of it as a piece of public art it is certainly large.
Initially Xcite wanted a bow to span the 17m of the ring but the predicted windy weather would have required such a complicated, load-bearing design it became necessary to scale things back a little.
The result was a giant satin bow tied around the spike and primed ready for the unveiling. We made the bow, fitted it to the spike and arranged for a confetti explosion to mark the event too.
Despite the rain and wind a group of local dignitaries stood outside the central library as the ribbon was pulled and the artwork was declared ‘open’.