British artist Tom Johnson has visited Tata Steel UK’s Port Talbot steelworks, immersing himself in the daily lives of its dedicated workforce. His latest project blends art and storytelling to create a compelling portrait of life at one of Europe’s largest steelworks.
A Unique Artistic Vision
During his visit, Tom sketched and interviewed 16 employees, ranging from new recruits with just a year’s experience to seasoned workers with more than three decades of service.
Tom explained: “When you talk to someone about their work, it offers a fascinating insight into their work life experiences. I always think that combining their portraits with their voices brings their stories to life.”
Inspired by Port Talbot’s striking industrial architecture and the stories of its workers, Tom plans to create a series of paintings in various mediums, including oil, watercolor, and pastels. These artworks will be paired with audio recordings of employees sharing their thoughts and memories, forming a powerful multimedia collection.
Preserving History Through Art
Tom’s motivation stems from his personal connection to South Wales and a desire to document this critical moment in Port Talbot’s history.
“With the recent changes at the steelworks, including job losses and the shift towards green steel, I felt it was essential to record the faces and voices of the people at the heart of this transition.”
Art Meets Industry
In addition to focusing on the people, Tom found artistic inspiration in the site itself, describing the steelworks as a city-like structure… a piece of sculpture.: "The power of the architecture and the scale of the space are incredible.”
A Time Capsule for Future Generations
Tom’s ultimate goal is to create a time capsule of life at Port Talbot, preserving the voices and experiences of its workforce for future generations. He envisions visitors engaging with the collection by seeing the portraits and hearing first-hand accounts from the workers themselves.
“The people here are inspiring, and I believe their stories will resonate with audiences for years to come,” he said.
Explore More
Watch a video interview with Tom at the steelworks here
Follow Tom’s artistic journey here
About Tata Steel UK
- The Tata Steel Group has been named one of the most ethical companies in the world, and is among the top producing global steel companies with an annual crude steel capacity of 34 million tonnes.
- Tata Steel in the UK has the ambition to produce net-zero steel by 2045 at the latest, and to have reduced 30% of its CO2 emissions by 2030.
- Tata Steel is the largest steelmaker in the UK with primary steelmaking at Port Talbot in South Wales supporting manufacturing and distribution operations at sites across Wales, England and Northern Ireland as well as Norway, Sweden, France and Germany. It also benefits from a network of international sales offices around the world.
- Tata Steel employs more than 8,000 people and has an annual crude steel capacity of 5 million tonnes, supplying high-quality steel products to demanding markets, including construction and infrastructure, automotive, packaging and engineering.
- Tata Steel Group is one of the world's most geographically-diversified steel producers, with operations and a commercial presence across the world.
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