Aneurin Bevan brought back to the Valleys in impressive artwork

  • Wales
Credit: Nathan Wyburn

A giant piece of artwork of the founder of the national health service Aneurin Bevan has appeared near his hometown of Tredegar.

The 10m by 14m outdoor portrait of the NHS mastermind, was created on the moors of the highest village in Wales, Trefil, during the 70th anniversary week of the institution.

Creator of the artwork Valleys-born artist and Britain’s Got Talent finalist, Nathan Wyburn, made the piece of art entirely out of local materials, including 374kg of garden soil and 74kg of white stone dust.

The portrait took Nathan under nine hours to complete Credit: Nathan Wyburn

It took eight and a half hours for Nathan to complete the portrait and it is his largest creation to date.

“I’m extremely proud of this piece of work. Not only is it a fantastic tribute to one of the nation’s most loved institutions and its extraordinary staff who support and care for us day in, day out, but it’s also a celebration of where I’m from — Bevan’s home and the place where the NHS all began.

Bevan spearheaded the establishment of the National Health Service Credit: PA Images

“The Valleys has so much to offer, from its rich heritage to the beautiful, green landscapes. The people are all so friendly and it’s such a refreshing change from the city."

People congratulated Nathan on his artwork after he posted pictures of the process on social media, including Welsh actor Michael Sheen.

The portrait can be seen from the sky Credit: Nathan Wyburn

The former Welsh Labour politician is located amongst the foothills and vast moorlands where a young Bevan routinely walked to rehearse his speeches and recite passages of literature to overcome his speech impediment during his fight to bring better healthcare to the UK.

Alyson Tipping’s from Blaenau Gwent Council said they are "delighted" to bring the portrait to the Valleys.

“We’re immensely proud of Nye and all that he accomplished — the NHS remains a cherished institution for the country just as Tredegar’s Nye, our Nye, will forever be Wales’s greatest hero”.