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279:, but was ultimately delayed until 23 September. The delay was attributed to the unprecedented nature of the project and to the weather, with construction work being unable to take place during high winds, rain or lightning. A viewing platform opened on 15 August, allowing visitors to watch the construction. The installation was intended to be open until 5 November, but this was later extended to 20 November.
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29:
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Work to dismantle See
Monster began on 21 November 2022 and was completed in early 2023. The structure was recycled, with some of the features being donated to local projects and the trees and plants being replanted around Weston-super-Mare. See Monster Garden, a public garden on Weston-super-Mare
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The installation was reported to have attracted visitors from across the country and from abroad, with some queuing for two to three hours to enter. See
Monster's success provided an economic boost to Weston-super-Mare, with numerous local businesses reporting increased custom during its opening.
458:
Unboxed announced overall audience engagement of 1,087,646 for See
Monster, including 512,261 through visitation, 87,211 through the learning programme and 5,852 through participation, as well as 394,822 through digital media, 67,500 through broadcast media and 20,000 through print media. North
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Patrick O'Mahony, See
Monster's creative director, expected that the installation would "split opinion" but remarked that he would "rather people love it or hate it rather than being indifferent" and that "there's nothing worse than doing something people have no reaction to." Charlotte Lytton,
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reuse of industrial structures. Martin Green, chief creative officer of
Unboxed, said that the installation would "take something that took from the earth and ask it to give back." The installation was purported to be the first example in the world of an offshore platform being repurposed after
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See
Monster was 35 metres (115 ft) tall and had four distinct levels. A 10-metre (33 ft) waterfall representing the monster's roar cascaded into the pool in which the platform stood. Above this were the Cellar Deck, Garden Lab and Helideck. More than 6,000 pieces made up a shimmering
436:, compared See Monster favourably to Dismaland and remarked, "even if its eco-message does not entirely cut through, this is the better end of public art: a supersized spectacle in equal parts immersive and unusual."
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Along with the wider
Unboxed festival, the installation attracted some controversy. However, more than a million people engaged with it through visitation, related activities and various forms of
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called The
Awakening took place on Weston-super-Mare seafront on 28 August, 30 August and 1 September 2022. They were performed by SkyMagic and involved 400 drones.
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Unboxed cited the installation's popularity as the reason for extending its opening. Some local residents called for it to remain permanently.
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378:. There were also two kinetic sculptures by Ivan Black representing the Sun and Moon, as well as a studio from which radio programmes and
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1363:"We are excited to reveal that SEE MONSTER has won an @Architizer A+ Award in the public choice 'Pop Ups & Temporary' category!"
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Somerset
Council reported that 6,000 engaged with the think tank programme and an estimated 70,000 attended the drone light shows.
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seafront featuring many of the trees and plants from the installation, and intended as a lasting legacy, opened on 24 July 2023.
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On 30 May 2023, See
Monster was the popular choice winner in the Pop-Ups & Temporary category in the 2023
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over 12 months. It arrived in Weston-super-Mare by barge on 13 July 2022 and was moved onto the beach by a
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272:. A 1,500-tonne crane lifted it onto a set of pre-constructed legs within the Tropicana on 16 July.
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606:"A Public Art Installation on Board an Offshore Platform is Heading to the South West Next Year"
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generated by the WindNest, an artwork by Trevor Lee comprising two rotating pods generating
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728:"What is the See Monster? The old North Sea oil rig that's arrived in Weston-super-Mare"
580:"A playground on an oil rig? See Monster puts the 'Festival of Brexit' grumbles to rest"
1034:"coastal infrastructure transformed into massive accessible installation 'SEE monster'"
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812:"SEE Monster: The first glimpse inside towering installation as it opens to public"
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Other features included a garden of trees and plants grown to survive in a coastal
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1309:"Huge SEE Monster queues in Weston-super-Mare as visitors wait two hours to visit"
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In addition to the physical installation, there was a learning programme offering
1490:"SEE Monster: Large queues expected as seafront attraction enters its final week"
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1336:"SEE Monster to be lit up for its final weekend before structure decommissioned"
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The 450-tonne platform was stripped, repaired and cleaned in a shipyard in the
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1059:"SEE MONSTER roars into action with help from Solar Technology International"
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871:"'It's going to split opinion': huge Weston-super-Mare installation opens"
755:"SEE here: Decommissioned North Sea platform arrives for UK arts festival"
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671:"Unboxed festival: Watchdog urged to investigate £120m 'waste of money'"
1171:"SEE Monster slammed on Radio 4 as 'irresponsible use of public money'"
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1203:"Weston-super-Mare's See Monster closes, but what will be its legacy?"
1144:"'Amazing' drone laser show lights up Weston-super-Mare's See Monster"
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artwork representing the monster's scales and a 16-metre (52 ft)
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The opening had originally been planned for July to coincide with the
230:
1463:"SEE MONSTER reduced to pile of steel on Weston-super-Mare seafront"
358:, telescopes to show the view and a curly slide. The installation's
1589:- video of arrival onto beach, and interview with creative director
838:"SEE Monster opening delayed by a month as project suffers setback"
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offshore platform and was one of ten works commissioned as part of
248:
The intention of See Monster was to inspire people to discuss the
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200:
926:"SEE Monster to stay in Weston-super-Mare for several more weeks"
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523:"Huge North Sea oil rig to be brought to Weston-super-Mare beach"
1410:"Weston-super-Mare See Monster to be decommissioned from Monday"
1229:"Public spending watchdog to investigate 'festival of Brexit'"
505:"Unboxed: Oil rig in lido to form part of UK-wide arts event"
1572:
1581:"Art installation See Monster arrives in Weston-super-Mare"
1517:"First SEE Monster trees planted in Weston-super-Mare park"
1283:"SEE Monster 'bigger than Dismaland' for Weston-super-Mare"
897:"Viewing platform for SEE Monster art installation to open"
699:"Opening of Weston-super-Mare See Monster display delayed"
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450:(NAO) subsequently announced that it would conduct one.
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The Garden Lab with kinetic sculptures by Ivan Black
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549:"SEE MONSTER arrives at Weston-super-Mare in 2022"
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414:Prior to See Monster's opening, a series of three
241:creative studio NewSubstance and was supported by
1254:"Unboxed: Creativity in the UK Evaluation Report"
1201:Hallett, Emma; Craig, James (26 September 2022).
625:. National Audit Office. 1 December 2022. HC 938
219:science, technology, engineering and mathematics
979:"Weston-super-Mare See Monster opens to public"
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177:featuring a garden and artworks that promoted
1385:"2023 Typology Winners - Architizer A+Awards"
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173:and consisted of a converted decommissioned
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1259:. Unboxed: Creativity in the UK. March 2023
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444:Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee
16:Art installation in North Somerset, England
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620:"Investigation into the UNBOXED festival"
347:represented the monster's head and neck.
245:. It was expected to cost £10.5 million.
810:Pickstock, Heather (23 September 2022).
1543:"SEE MONSTER garden and pétanque court"
1488:Pickstock, Heather (15 November 2022).
577:Lytton, Charlotte (23 September 2022).
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253:decommissioning, rather than scrapped.
1515:Pickstock, Heather (6 December 2022).
1461:Pickstock, Heather (22 January 2023).
1307:Pickstock, Heather (10 October 2022).
1281:Pickstock, Heather (6 November 2022).
924:Pickstock, Heather (28 October 2022).
221:. The installation was located at the
1334:Abbott, Caroline (18 November 2022).
895:Pickstock, Heather (10 August 2022).
836:Pickstock, Heather (24 August 2022).
406:programme involving local residents.
374:mounted atop a metal tree generating
7:
869:Morris, Steven (23 September 2022).
669:Razzall, Katie (22 September 2022).
370:, and the Solar Tree, comprising a
1169:Brown, Shannon (11 October 2022).
1032:Barandy, Kat (23 September 2022).
402:, youth groups and students and a
270:self-propelled modular transporter
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398:to schoolchildren, young people,
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303:See Monster illuminated at night
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165:. It was part of the nationwide
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229:that had previously hosted the
48:23 September – 20 November 2022
1227:Quinn, Ben (11 October 2022).
1063:Solar Technology International
753:Dykes, Andrew (16 July 2022).
237:in 2015. It was a work of the
205:See Monster under construction
1:
1361:New Substance (30 May 2023).
354:, a cloud-making machine, an
225:, an events space and former
215:Unboxed: Creativity in the UK
209:See Monster was originally a
171:Unboxed: Creativity in the UK
123:Unboxed: Creativity in the UK
781:"A big week for SEE MONSTER"
1115:"The Legacy of SEE MONSTER"
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317:The WindNest by Trevor Lee
153:) was a temporary outdoor
362:system was powered using
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26:
427:Reaction and controversy
257:Construction and opening
1587:. 13 July 2022. 604693.
1547:North Somerset Council
1436:"Farewell SEE MONSTER"
1119:North Somerset Council
954:"Onboard SEE MONSTER!"
553:North Somerset Council
243:North Somerset Council
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1613:Public art in England
448:National Audit Office
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985:. 23 September 2022
585:The Daily Telegraph
454:Audience engagement
87: /
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1442:. 21 November 2022
1416:. 19 November 2022
1121:. 24 November 2022
608:. 27 October 2021.
511:. 20 October 2021.
392:educational visits
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91:51.3409°N 2.9828°W
1603:Weston-super-Mare
1065:. 28 October 2022
555:. 21 October 2021
529:. 23 October 2021
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120:NewSubstance
117:Organised by
18:
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1527:14 December
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1440:SEE MONSTER
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376:solar power
372:solar panel
263:Netherlands
250:sustainable
192:Development
147:See Monster
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22:See Monster
1597:Categories
1389:Architizer
1292:6 November
1038:DesignBoom
1014:13 October
1005:"360 tour"
989:13 October
963:13 October
935:28 October
790:13 October
709:1 November
654:13 October
629:3 December
488:References
475:A+Awards.
473:Architizer
404:think tank
386:Programmes
368:wind power
360:irrigation
197:Background
134:seemonster
79:51°20′27″N
1365:. Twitter
467:Accolades
422:Reception
396:resources
235:Dismaland
223:Tropicana
211:North Sea
169:festival
82:2°58′58″W
63:, England
1473:16 April
1414:BBC News
1263:16 April
1207:BBC News
1148:BBC News
983:BBC News
906:18 April
732:ITV News
703:BBC News
675:BBC News
527:ITV News
509:BBC News
380:podcasts
283:Overview
61:Somerset
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1552:24 July
1523:. Reach
1496:. Reach
1469:. Reach
1342:. Reach
1315:. Reach
1177:. Reach
341:kinetic
267:Mammoet
163:England
129:Website
1394:1 June
1369:1 June
645:"FAQs"
400:Scouts
231:Banksy
1257:(PDF)
623:(PDF)
345:crane
239:Leeds
186:media
107:Theme
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