THE last traces of a controversial art installation, called SEE Monster, have been removed from Weston-super-Mare.
According to the See Monster website, the retired rig has been reborn at shore in the former 1930s lido, the Tropicana.
Residents had never seen such a beast before, and to them, the structure truly was a monster - this is the inspiration behind the name.
It was one of ten major free-to-enter events for the Unboxed: Creativity in the UK festival, which was held across the country.
It's main intended purpose was to increase awareness surrounding renewable energy and sustainability.
Ideas on the future of sustainable energy are dotted throughout the artwork, in the hope of inspiring younger generations to pursue a greener lifestyle.
SEE MONSTER may have closed, but it’s legacy will live on.
— SEE MONSTER (@seemonsteruk) January 12, 2023
This world-first art installation is a blueprint for change, inspiring how we think about the reuse of disused structures & how we can harness weather to create design-led renewables. pic.twitter.com/aUTCl7UD7N
The structure was complete with a wind turbine, solar tree, two-storey slide and almost 1,000 trees and other foliage.
Firstly, there were numerous setbacks to its grand opening, which heightened fears for local traders and hospitality businesses that there wouldn't be as many visitors as intially promised.
Many people also claimed that they had seen the structure from the street before it had even opened, making them less inclined to visit.
Not to mention the money that was spent on the project, which came out of the taxpayers pockets - it is estimated that it cost £10.5 million to create the attraction, sparking outrage amongst locals and officials.
In September, chair of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) committee in Parliament, Julian Knight MP, called for an investigation into the financial management and delivery of the Unboxed festival, slamming it as a 'monumental waste of taxpayer's money'.
Although the physical structure has now been removed, the legacy of SEE Monster remains in the form of a planted garden and boules area in Beach Lawns.
A spokesperson for See Monster said: "As a creation from old to new, the regeneration of a retired rig, transformed from its former life, has championed the role of reuse and creativity within our future."
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