Rhodri Morgan Statue Fund
Rhodri Morgan Statue

In 2024 we were appointed by the Rhodri Morgan Statue Fund (RMSF) to facilitate a design competition to appoint an exceptional sculptor to create a permanent sculpture of former First Minster Rhodri Morgan.  Acting as advisers and supporters of the RMSF throughout the process, our role included developing a Brief to Artist, identifying a long list of internal artists, facilitating site visits and shortlisting meetings.  The process culminated in a wonderful day in May 2025 which saw three shortlist sculptors present their concept proposals to the RMSF panel.

In June 2025 the RMSF officially announced the appointment of sculptor Andy Edwards to the commission.  Andy, who works from the Castle Fine Arts Foundry in Llanrhaeadr ym Mochnant, has an exceptional track record in creating large-scale art for the public realm. His work includes The Beatles walking through their home city on the UNESCO World Heritage Liverpool Waterfront, the Bee Gees strutting Stayin’ Alive along the promenade in Douglas, Isle of Man, the soldiers’ invitation to a handshake over a football in Truce at Messines, Flanders, Belgium - a memorial to the WWI British & German soldiers’ football game, Christmas 1914; and most recently Lemmy, unveiled in Burslem on 9th May 2025.

We were delighted and honoured to have been chosen to be involved in such a prestigious project for Wales. The selection process for the commission was an engaging one – seeing how sculptors responded to the brief and brought new insights and ways of representing the figurative as well as conveying the narrative of Rhodri Morgan’s life. We very much look forward to seeing Andy Edwards’ concept come to fruition in the forthcoming months.  The statue will be installed in front of the Pierhead in Cardiff Bay in July 2026.

Images:
A recent site visit by the RMSF, Andy Edwards and Studio Response
The proposed location for the sculpture

All images courtesy of Studio Response.