Volunteers needed to help re-discover overgrown Map of Wales sculpture

People on and around Anglesey are invited to help re-discover a huge map of Wales sculpture which has been left overgrown for more than a decade.

Volunteering events will take place at the Llyn Alaw reservoir, Anglesey in October and February, to uncover the giant piece of art by Beca artist Paul Davies, best known for his “Welsh Not” performance at the 1977 Eisteddfod.

The event forms part of an ongoing collaboration between Welsh Water, Isle of Anglesey County Council’s Countryside and AONB Unit and Bangor University researcher Dr Sarah Pogoda from the School of Arts, Culture and Language.

Sarah is looking into Paul Davies’s work and the Llyn Alaw site in particular, working closely with local authorities and the artist’s family.

Heritage

Sarah said: “Paul initiated the commission from Welsh Water in 1987 in context with the then European Commission’s “Year of the Environment”.

“Paul, Art & Design students from Coleg Llandrillo Menai (then Gwynedd Technical College) and local volunteers joined forces over months for building the sculpture, using only local materials. It is one of the first major works of so-called “land art” in Wales and the UK.”

Alwyn Roberts from Welsh Water said: “We’re delighted to play our part in bringing this piece of cultural heritage back to life.

“The area – and with it the sculpture – fell a bit off the public visibility since Alaw Fishery closed a number of years ago, but we hope that through our common efforts we will bring the sculpture back to be enjoyed by visitors to the site, as it is an important piece of local heritage.”

Owen Davies, AONB Community Warden at the Isle of Anglesey County Council has been taking the lead for clearing the sculpture from its overgrowth and organising the volunteering events for October this year and February 2024.

Owen said: “We look forward to working with local schools and communities to help revive this historic artwork at Llyn Alaw using hand tools such as garden-loppers and bow-saws.

“This will be challenging and rewarding work given the current condition of the sculpture, so please, we need many helping hands.”

The first volunteering event will take place from October 13-15.

Volunteers can be re-imbursed for their fuel, but we will also arrange lifts to and from the site.

Portable toilet and hand washing facility will be available and volunteers should bring their own lunch.