Sculptors shortlisted for Rhodri Morgan statue

Martin Shipton

Three sculptors have been shortlisted for the task of creating a statue to commemorate former First Minister Rhodri Morgan close to the Senedd in Cardiff Bay.

Mr Morgan’s political career began when he was elected the Labour MP for Cardiff West in 1987, and he served as First Minister from 2000 until 2009. He died in 2017 while cycling with his grandson near his home in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Friends and supporters of Mr Morgan decided after his death that because of his crucial role as an architect of Welsh devolution, he deserved to have a statue erected in his memory – even, and indeed because, he would have been against the idea himself.

Public art consultants

A Spring Update from the Rhodri Morgan Statue Fund states: “On September 13 2024 we announced that we had retained the public art consultants Studio Response to assist us in conducting a sculpture design competition.

“That competition was launched in December 2024 when a brief was sent out to established sculptors inviting them to express an interest in the commission. Twelve such sculptors responded positively with interesting ideas. At the heart of the Brief to artists is the desire to reflect Rhodri as a ‘man of the people’ and not just ‘another man on a plinth’.

“We have now drawn up a shortlist of three artists and met them on-site. They are all extremely well-respected artists who regard it as a privilege to have been invited to make a submission in this prestigious commission. They now have three months to prepare their concept designs and make a maquette. In May 2025 they will make a presentation to us setting out their respective artistic rationales and exhibiting maquettes. Following those presentations we will make a final selection. At this point we envisage making a planning permission application.

“We will then contract with the selected sculptor to fully develop her/his design. At the end of this detailed design phase in September 2025 we will consider the final submission, and if we are able to approve it we will contract with the selected sculptor for the production and fabrication of the sculpture. Our ambition is still to install the sculpture in July 2026.

“Last year we told you we had broken through the £100K ceiling in our fundraising. However, we envisage needing a further £50K-£60k to complete the project. Fundraising therefore continues and we would be grateful for your support [at a number of planned] events.”

Mark Drakeford

On April 11 from 6.30pm, the Black Asian and Minority Ethnic Community is holding an event called Devolution and Diversity – The ongoing impact of Rhodri Morgan’s decade as First Minister at Llandaff North Rugby Sports and Social Club, 42 Radyr Road, Cardiff, CF14 2FU. Mutale Merrill and Tahmina Khan and others from different communities will be sharing the impact that Rhodri Morgan‘s work has had on them.

The guest speaker will be former First Minister Mark Drakeford. There will be a buffet of Indian food, and drinks can be bought at the bar. There is a free car park and tickets cost £20.

Further events are planned in Swansea and London in July, together with another at Llandaff North Rugby Sports and Social Club in September.