Crowds gathered at the beach from dawn, awaiting the arrival of SEE MONSTER. As the morning sunshine rose and the tide retreated, the barge was beached on the shore. From there, SEE MONSTER was transported up the beach atop the SMPTs (Self-Propelled Modular Transporters) ready for the next stage of the journey, the big lift. A colossal, 1500-tonne crane lifted the 25-metre, 450-tonne monster onto its bright yellow legs within the Tropicana.
We were at the mercy of the great British weather to carry out this feat of engineering. High winds on Friday 15 July meant our attempts to move the monster were abandoned. The crane lift was rescheduled for early the next morning… On Saturday 16 July the topside was dramatically lifted over the 4-metre walls of the Tropicana and fixed onto its legs – a process which took approximately 3 hours.
It was a triumphant and emotional moment for everyone, including the crowds watching from the beach in Weston-super-Mare.
The coming weeks will see SEE MONSTER undergo a dramatic transformation, as it is rehabilitated to welcome visitors later this summer. This world-first art installation will showcase a thriving garden, a 10-metre high waterfall and renewable designs that aim to ignite global conversations around our sustainable future.
