Swansea University Art Collection
Golden Boy, Golden Hour by Hasan Kamil
Golden Boy, Golden Hour
This mural pays homage to Swanseaʼs most iconic and renowned poet Dylan Thomas. The vibrant, colourful mural takes influence from the techniques used in his writing style, creating a contemporary twist, blending neo-romanticism and surrealism in a visual format.
The mural features an iconic and very recognizable portrait of Dylan Thomas, depicted in a way that blends realism with abstract, as a reflection of his writing style.
To the left we see a Little Egret Heron, a bird common to the adjoining SSSI and taking inspiration from the Dylan Thomas poem Over Sir John's Hill, a fitting addition to the mural.
The silhouette of Mumbles on the horizon links the Bay Campus to Singleton Campus and depicts the view which can be seen from the Bay Campus.
The University’s crest is depicted in an abstract manner, bringing a personal touch, unique to Swansea University. It is a playful take on an open book, curved shapes and straight lines taken from the anchor and pickaxe. The Bay campus mural shows the left side of the book whilst the Singleton campus mural shows the right.
The stylings of the mural draw influence from three artistic sources, two of whom are Swansea-based artists Ceri Richards and George Little, and the third being street art collaboration Ruído.
Ceri Richards was himself was influenced by Surrealism and created Twelve Lithographs for Six Poems by Dylan Thomas in 1965. The University holds an impressive collection of works by Ceri Richards, which can be seen in the Great Hall (on Bay Campus) and in Fulton House (on Singleton Campus).
The larger, bold colours of geometric shapes and textures are inspired by Richards and George Little, whilst influence from Ruído’s street art blends the abstract surrealist styles with realism that tells a story in almost cut-and-paste, collage manner. This juxtaposition gives a contemporary feel, creating consistency between the murals at both campuses.