While there are hundreds of pieces of art dotted around Cardiff, there is one installation in particular that you may never have noticed. What might look like random strips of paint across the Cardiff Bay barrage is actually a meticulously-placed concept to create a clever design.
The circles of yellow paint across the lock and barrage were painted by artist Felice Varini in 2007 and are still baffling passersby that notice the intricate work decades later. For the latest Cardiff news, sign up to our newsletter here
The artwork spreads across the lock and barrage
(Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne)
When you stand at one precise angle the painting becomes clear as you see the yellow paint form three ellipses that have been painted onto the working locks, the ground, the gates and the outer sea wall. The £25,000 art installation confused many walkers when it was painted and now some people walk past without even noticing it.
The Swiss-born artist was commissioned by Welsh arts agency CBAT 17 years ago to create the anamorphic artwork, a style that Varini is known for. The piece in Cardiff Bay is called the “Three Ellipses for Three Locks” but is commonly referred to as “The Barrage Circles”.
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