Sequel to Cardiff’s historical street art appears in north Wales

Following the mysterious ‘water gate’ art that made a splash in Cardiff city centre earlier this month, a second mural has appeared, this time in north Wales.

Commissioned by Cadw and created by world-renowned chalk artist Julian Beever, the optical illusion provides a window into the past, showing Llywelyn, the ‘real prince of Wales’ returning to Gwynedd – bringing Welsh history to life.

Offering a glimpse into Wales’ medieval past, the massive piece of street art on Caernarfon’s Y Maes will remain there for the remainder of this afternoon, before moving inside Castell Caernarfon from 12 August.

‘Standing on history’

The thought-provoking artwork is the second piece of art commissioned by Cadw and created by Julian Beever this summer.

Julian commented: “It’s been brilliant to see so many people stop, stare, and realise they’re literally standing on history.”

Alongside Llywelyn’s boat is a mooring rope that visitors have been using to help Llewlyn, continuing the  interactive theme of Cadw’s earlier mural.

The giant drawing of Caerphilly Castle’s water gate, which appeared in Cardiff last week, also featured fishing rods for passersby to pose with. The ‘water gate’ mural moved from Cardiff into Caerphilly town centre and then into Caerphilly Castle itself.

Illusions

The series of street art installations that create optical illusions for the perfect photo spots have been commissioned to mark important sites in Wales.

Gwilym Hughes, Head of Cadw, explained: “Breathing new life into Wales’s heritage isn’t just about restoring old walls, it’s about opening doors to stories old and new, welcoming visitors from near and far, and captivating future generations.”

The Llewelyn installation not only brings the past to life, but also encourages visitors to explore some of Cadw’s 132 magnificent castles, abbeys and ancient monuments across Wales this summer.

The Welsh Government’s historic environment service added that it hopes this creative project will inspire more people to discover and protect Wales’ rich heritage.