AN artist known for creating big impact pieces at some of the country’s most remote places is set to launch his latest installation next week.

Environmental artist, Steve Messam, of Teesdale, caused a sensation in 2015 after building a paper bridge strong enough to hold a car in China and has since created ‘waterfalls’ by projecting film footage of three of Teesdale’s waterfalls onto whitewashed barns.

Earlier this year, Mr Messam unveiled a series of inflatable installations, titled XXX, at the Borders Sculpture Park.

His latest project uses neither paper or light. but air, as he prepares to install a ten-metre folly in the heart of the Lake District National Park.

Named Keep, the temporary landscape installation has been commissioned by the Lake District National Park for their Lakes Alive Festival 2017.

The full-sized castellated tower sits on Latrigg, one of the lower fells within the landscape of the National Park.

Being bright red, it can also be seen for miles around and the 200m of material are kept inflated with a single fan.

Mr Messam, who is based in Middleton-in-Teesdale, said: “Within the English Landscape Tradition of architectural follies, Keep forms part of a continuing narrative of our understanding and appreciation of landscape.

“A narrative for which the Lake District’s unique landscape has played a pivotal role in our connection with the aesthetics of the land - a role recognised by its recent listing of UNESCO World Heritage Site.”

Keep, which is the equivalent of a four-storey building, will appear in the Lake District on Wednesday for one day only.

Primarily aimed at walkers already on the fells, Mr Messan said the piece will be “mostly chanced upon”.

Following its debut, it will also be shown at Castle Howe in Kendal on September 9 and 10.

For details, visit stevemessam.co.uk