Komodo Dragon Wall Sculpture
“A Komodo Dragon sculpture climbs Nigel Marven's house, claws engaged, looking back, tongue flicking.”
Komodo Dragon Wall Sculpture
A large Komodo Dragon sculpture has been installed climbing the exterior wall of Nigel Marven's house, captured in the moment of ascent - its body lifting, claws engaged - while looking back over its shoulder, tongue flicking out.
That backward glance changes the dynamic of the piece. The dragon is not simply climbing away; it is aware of being watched. The tongue, a sensory organ used to read the world through scent, suggests alertness and intelligence rather than aggression. The sculpture feels paused between movement and observation.
The placement is particularly fitting. Nigel Marven, a British wildlife television presenter, has spent much of his career filming and presenting some of the world's most dangerous animals, including extensive work with Komodo dragons. In series such as Giants (1999) and related programmes, he documented close encounters with the species - even digging for eggs in Indonesia - to explore their biology, behaviour, and conservation.
Those experiences inform the sculpture's posture. This is not a monster frozen in menace, but a powerful, ancient animal caught mid-action, aware of its surroundings and its observer. The work reflects the respect that comes from proximity rather than fear.
Installation was kindly assisted by my friend and stone mason Jock Campbell, whose expertise was invaluable in securing the sculpture safely to the masonry while maintaining the illusion of weight and movement.
Once in place, the Komodo appears embedded in the architecture itself - part wildlife encounter, part architectural intervention - a reminder that the natural world is never as distant as we imagine.