RSPB Cymru launch Revive Our World campaign with new statue

The sculpture, made from eco-friendly resources, represents the astonishing revival of one of our most notable and loved birds in Wales.                    

The sculpture was designed and built by north Wales based artist Sarah Wardlaw. It will feature an augmented reality (AR) projection which will light up the red kite when on display, to give the public and online audience an uplifting and celebratory experience.1

The unveiling of the sculpture and the release of the single is part of RSPB Cymru’s Revive Our World, a campaign calling for a green and just future for Wales. In less than three weeks, voters in Wales will visit the polling stations and elect the next Welsh Government. 

RSPB Cymru is calling for the next Welsh Government to show true leadership and implement a Green Recovery that will tackle the nature and climate emergency and deliver access to nature for everyone and improve public health and well-being.

Picture: RSPB

The campaign calls for the next Welsh Government to put in motion a just and Green Recovery that will benefit people and planet through a wave of green jobs, environmental protections, resilient and rich land seas, healthy citizens and strong leadership.2

Artist Sarah Wardlaw said: "I am delighted to have been commissioned to create this work for RSPB's Revive Our World campaign. The red kite is a phenomenal conservation success story in Wales, but a stark reminder of just how fragile life is and why we should cherish it.

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“With this commission, I am using a combination of traditional blacksmithing with use augmented reality (AR) to give the illusion of flight or existence of spirit.

“The principle of flight, navigation, and the magic of altitude is something to aspire. As an artist, I believe we can collectively help prevent extinction and protect wildlife if we use our individual stories and give our imagination the freedom to unfold and be limitless.

“If species die, our dreams die with them.’’

In Wales, the red kite symbolises the power of action like no other. Despite this graceful bird being prominent in the UK for centuries, persecution led to steep decline in numbers. Here in Wales over the past 30 years, we’ve seen a huge increase and seeing the numbers grow gives us a beacon of hope that it is possible to revive our world.

This is a once in a generation opportunity to take action to improve our future.

Welsh music prize winner The Gentle Good (Gareth Bonello) will be releasing a brand-new single titled Revival, which will be available to download on Spotify from Friday 23 April.

It also marks the launch of Revive Our World, an RSPB campaign that pushes for legally binding targets to restore nature by 2030 and for a green recovery from the pandemic across the UK.

The song also features the evocative call of the curlew which is in desperate need of revival. Once a common bird in Wales, the numbers have declined drastically, and has declined by 70% since 19953.

There is now grave concern that the curlew could be extinct in Wales within the next 13 years unless significant action is taken. This is a once in a generation opportunity to take action to improve our future.

RSPB Cymru Director, Katie-jo Luxton said: “The success of the red kite in Wales is an example of what is possible with the right protection and support put in place.

“This year provides enormous opportunities, which come at a time when we need urgent change to revive our world.

“Later on this year, two global summits on biodiversity and climate change will take place and the upcoming elections in Wales gives each and every one of us the opportunity to shape the future of nature that we want.

“What better way of showcasing the potential for nature revival than with a beautiful sculpture of the iconic red kite."