A New Sculptural Piece Titled ‘Bassey’s Cry / Bloedd Bassey’ At Caernarfon Castle

Welsh artist Marc Rees has today unveiled a new sculptural piece titled ‘Bassey’s Cry / Bloedd Bassey’, a 20 foot tall, golden statue depicting the likeness of Dame Shirley Bassey in warlike pose as Boadicea the Celtic Warrior Queen. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The statue is intended as a call to arms to the people of Wales and beyond to involve themselves with the ‘Get Creative’ weekend, which begins today. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Standing on a glass balcony in the walls of Caernarfon Castle, looking out over Gwynedd, North-West Wales, ‘Bassey’s Cry / Bloedd Bassey’ is Rees’s response to the ‘Get Creative’ weekend, which is supported by BBC Wales, Arts Council of Wales and What Next?. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

‘Bassey’s Cry / Bloedd Bassey’ will stand in the same spot where Queen Elizabeth II greeted the crowds after the investiture of the Prince of Wales in 1969. Created in the likeness of the Welsh queen of song, Dame Shirley Bassey, the sculpture has a hole where her heart should be – like a body needs a heart, society needs art to flourish. The public are invited to create their own heartfelt art this weekend to help their communities do just that. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Marc Rees said, “The statue is meant to jolt people in to action. Creativity and culture make places flourish not simply function. Art is the beating heart and lifeblood of any community. Therefore it is time to recognise and acknowledge this, to become proactive and to get creative. Dame Shirley Bassey is one of our true icons of culture. I can think of no one better to call the people to arms.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It has taken a total of 600 hours to sculpt, fibreglass, fill, sand and paint Bassey’s Cry. She is sculpted from polystyrene, hard coated with fibreglass, filled with body filler and sanded to a smooth finish. Standing at over 20 foot tall, she weighs over 300kgs. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The statue will be installed in the walls of Caernarfon Castle for the duration of the Get Creative Weekend and can be best viewed from Y Maes (Castle Square). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

On 1-3 April 2016 BBC Wales, Arts Council of Wales and What Next? are teaming up for a bumper weekend to celebrate the nation’s creativity, shining a light on Wales as a country rich in arts and culture. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The statue will be constructed by Wild Creations. Based in Cardiff, Wild Creations create sculptures, props and displays for all sorts of industries, TV, exhibitions, events, PR and marketing, using a host of talents from sculpture to woodwork. They have recently carried out various creative projects for castles across Wales, including the ‘Ball in the Wall’ at Cardiff Castle to launch the 2015 Rugby World Cup, and the Dragon, which appeared at Caerphilly Castle on St David’s Day. They also created a herd of dinosaurs for the launch of Jurassic World, and parts of the set of the West End musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​