London-based street artist ATM has finished painting a mural of a harbour seal outside Newport’s Lord Louis Library.
The artist was invited to undertake the work by Secrets of the Solent, a National Lottery Heritage Fund project supported by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.
Harbour seals are regularly seen around the Island, and particularly in the Solent, where they are often seen on sandbanks and beaches. When out of the water, harbour seals sometimes hold their body in a curved banana position, with their head and tail both in the air at the same time, and this is the pose that ATM chose to show in his mural.
Councillor Julie Jones-Evans said:
“The Wildlife Trust have done a great job attracting the funds and organising this project to brighten up our historic county town. Even in the heart of Newport we are only a few steps away from the wild species that live here too, and this beautiful new mural will remind us of that.
“This space was ideal as it has previously supported public art. With the support of Shaping Newport we were able to secure the site for ATM to create this work, and we’re hoping to deliver more art like this soon.
“This council has a focus on both the environment and supporting business; and Secrets of the Solent is showing one way we can do both.”
Artist ATM said:
“We, as human beings, are very much a part of the whole web of nature, dependent on a healthy environment like every other living creature.
“It is so easy to forget this in our modern industrialised world, where we are insulated by comfort and technology.
“We must learn a greater love and respect for other living things if we are to avert global disaster.”
The subject of the mural was chosen via a vote held with the local community.
Beautiful, and what a lovely site for it as well. I just hope that the local vandals show some restraint and respect.
How long before a Mc Flurry is thrown at it.
Shame he can’t do the columns of the fly over ! Would brighten the place up also. The subway has murals.
Wow he can come and paint my wall …
Very talented a true artist ..
Wish I could paint like that !!!!!
In total awe …
I’m a good painter !
Talk about double standards tho,
When I tried to brighten up sandown sea front, I got a £585 fine and a two year supervision order !
it’s nice but has he painted over the very nice mural by the library? I always like that one, a kind of space age type theme if I remember rightly.