Town’s ‘exceptional’ Nos Galan mural officially completed
Nation.Cymru Staff
Residents have welcomed a colourful new addition to their town centre after the completion of a major community art project celebrating local pride and history.
The new mural in Mountain Ash pays tribute to the Nos Galan race, which has taken place on New Year’s Eve in the town since 1958.
Artist Tee2Sugars, also responsible for Pontypridd’s ‘Mae Hen Wlad fy Nhadau’ mural and Abertillery’s War Memorial mural, created the piece over several months on Mustaffa’s.
The restaurant took to Facebook to share their delight, writing: “It’s been an absolute honour to give a huge blank canvas to Tee2Sugars for his Mountain Ash mural! The project has been in the pipeline for months and to see it finished is just incredible.
“Tee is such a wonderful artist and character and it’s been an absolute pleasure meeting him and seeing him mix in with the community here in Mount.
“It’s been awesome seeing everyone discussing the artwork and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Tee, you’re a shining diamond.”
Included in the mural are Guto Nyth Brân, the 18th-century Welsh athlete in whose honour the race was founded by Bernard Baldwin MBE, running as a torch bearer, the Ddraig Goch, Glyndwr’s shield, Dr. Elaine Morgan, local landmark the Gorsedd Circle, and a colliery.
Before the Nos Galan runners set off, the event traditionally begins with a church service and a wreath laid at Guto Nyth Brân’s grave.
The torchbearer changes every year, and is usually a sports personality or celebrity, though their identity is kept secret until the road race begins.
Tee2Sugars used Virtual Reality to project the finished artwork onto the blank wall, which he then traced over and painted.
View this post on Instagram
The artist shared on social media that the hardest part about creating the mural had been wanting to chat to all the passersby who came to say hello, “because I never want anybody to go away and say I tried to talk to Tee2Sugars and he’s ignorant…”
“What a brilliant job he has done such a talent can’t wait to his next piece,” a commenter wrote, while another added: “Every resident in Mountain Ash should be so proud to have this absolutely amazing, inspirational work of art in our home town. Not just another mural but an exceptional work of art dedicated to our town.”
The mural was devised and created over a year through a partnership between organisations in the Mountain Ash community and the town’s residents.
To see more of Tee2Sugars’ work, visit his site here.
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Big respect to Tee2Sugars. He’s brought something bright and beautiful to the town which I hope will provide a lasting legacy of local pride.
What a fabulous thing. We cannot underestimate the importance of such works as these in an atmosphere of political aggression against our countrys’ very existence. It is truly heartening to hear of the local pride in this work. It sends the message to the enemy. Thine evil shalt not prevail. Da iawn Tee2Sugars a diolch yn fawr iawn.
More of this amazingness in more of our towns! These murals are just perfect.
Absolutely.
Ardderchog! Welsh Government should actively encourage pubic art manifestations to commemorate events of local, regional and national importance or significance. Let us celebrate who were are, and what we wish our nation and our communities to be, in art, literature, music, theatre, and so forth. Ymlaen!
Dwi’n caru hyn. I love this. Great to add some amazing artwork to an otherwise drab brickwork. Great way to celebrate local culture and history. Agree with the other commenters that this is the exact sort of thing that should be encouraged in every town in Cymru. Mwy o hyn os gwelwch yn dda. More of this please.