Rhondda sculptor Barry Lewis is working around the clock

Rhondda sculptor Barry Lewis is working around the clock to get his biggest project to date finished and installed in time for Armed Forces Day on Saturday 25th June. The Rhondda based sculptor has gained much recognition in the past for his annual installations in the Castle’s moat and returns this year with a giant dragon made from obsolete satellite dishes and scaffolding poles.

With recycling being central to the artist’s work the materials used would have ended up in

landfill or the scrap yard so his unique vision transforms discarded items and brings them to life. By the time the dragon is complete Barry will have used approximately 100 satellite dishes, more than 25 metres of scaffolding pole and 1500 self tapping screws to construct the 15ft dragon.

Y Galeri Caerffili has been working in partnership with CADW to bring the installation to fruition. Located along the outer walls of Caerphilly Castle, near Fenton’s Tower, the red dragon will be visible from both inside and outside the monument. The emphasis on the installationistocreateavisuallyengagingartworkthatisaccessible to a wide audience and is site specific in terms of context and physical location. This is certainly the case in the busy town especially with the huge influx of visitors expected during the Armed Forces Day on Saturday and the Big Cheese Event at the end of July.