Art Walks: Cardiff

Merchant Seafarer's War Memorial

Step 8 - Cardiff Bay

As you walk on towards the seafront, take a look at William Pye's huge mirrored Water Tower. Pye developed a fascination with water when he played in a stream as a child, and it's featured in his sculptures ever since. Pye is renowned for his use of abstract, geometric shapes and the elegant simplicity of his sculptures. Like Matisse, he is concerned with using simple, clean shapes with minimal detail.

To end this art walk head down past the red brick Pierhead Building, built in 1897, and Y SENEDD (National Assembly Building), constructed a little more recently in 2006. There in front of the railings you will see the Merchant Seafarer's War Memorial by Brian Fell (1996). It was a memorial for the many merchant seamen that died caught up in armed conflict.

Pressed into the ground, this looks like the giant face that should accompany the giant fists in the sculpture All Hands, also by Brian Fell, which you saw earlier. It is at once a bold, simple face shaped out of metal and the hull of a ship. This trick of seeing the same object in two completely different ways was used by Dali in a number of his works; the sense of changing perspective invites us to look more closely at the object to work out its true meaning.

Finally, take in and enjoy the magnificent view across the bay.

If you've enjoyed this walk then try one of our other Art Walks around the UK.