Port Talbot's Banksy artwork 'Season's Greetings' could be moved to Essex
Port Talbot's Banksy artwork 'Season's Greetings' which appeared on the side of a garage in Port Talbot in December 2018 could be moved and put on display in Essex.
Crowds of people travelled from all over to see Banksy's Port Talbot creation as it hit national and worldwide headlines after the artist confirmed it was one of his creations.
The mural, which shows a child dressed for snow playing in the falling ash and smoke from a skip fire, has been kept from public view since it was cut from the side of steelworker Ian Lewis's garage in Taibach in May 2019.
'Season's Greetings' was then moved to the Ty'r Orsaf building in Port Talbot, with plans for it to go on display to the public.
Art dealer John Brandler, who bought the piece for a six-figure sum, previously told ITV Cymru Wales that he was "saddened" at Neath Port Talbot Council's plans for the artwork to be put on display for a limited period of time.
There are now fears the artwork could end up in England after a protracted row over its future.Mr Brandler had originally planned to create a street art museum in the Banksy's new home, Ty'r Orsaf, featuring other world-renowned artists. But in June 2019 he scrapped the idea.Trying to seek aid to bring the project to fruition, Mr Brandler claims he was told in a multi-agency meeting that help was not possible because "Banksy isn't Welsh".Now, Mr Brandler has said he has received interest in displaying the artwork from counties in England, including his home town of Essex.
Mr Brandler said: "I was going bring an international museum to Port Talbot that and they didn't want it because Banksy isn't Welsh."The people of Port Talbot wanted it, it would have created jobs, bringing 150,000 people into the town and I wanted to include local businesses in the museum. A similar project was done in Margate and for every £1 made by the museum, £6 was spent in the local area."The people of the town who we met were kind and genuine and welcoming and wanted it to happen and Pobl (the letting agency) gave us the building and did everything they could to make it happen."But trying was putting me into an early grave, it put too much stress on me, I was getting chest pain. When I pulled out, all of that disappeared. They don't want it because [Season's Greetings] is about pollution."
Mr Brandler said he thought the situation was "so sad" and was a "missed opportunity" for the town.
He said: "I've had two English councils express interest in it - from Essex and the Midlands - who want to display it as a central piece. They can see the power of having it."We have an exhibition in Bury St Edmunds, Essex, at the moment, it's exactly what we wanted to do in Port Talbot, showcasing Banksy, Tracy Emin, Damien Hirst, The Connor Brothers, Blek Le Rat, Pure Evil, Rachel List and Kaws. The only difference is we wanted the Banksy piece to showcase centrally in Port Talbot."
However, the art dealer said there are no concrete plans to move the piece because of coronavirus restrictions and it now remains in Ty'r Orsaf indefinitely.Mr Brandler said the bottom line is, as things stand, 'Season's Greetings' "does not" have a future in Wales.In Summer 2019, Neath Port Talbot Council said it was exploring the option of securing a gallery for the area as part of the Welsh Government’s plans to create a National Contemporary Art Gallery for Wales.A spokesman for the council said it would include signage and a display area, as well as a cafe or shop if considered feasible.However, because of coronavirus those plans had been put on hold.He said: "As you would expect, all available resources are being directed towards Covid and the recovery from Covid. The plans for the proposed gallery facility will be revisited when it is possible to do so."