It was a piece of street art that appeared overnight on the side of a garage and almost instantly saw Port Talbot hit the headlines across the world.
Steelworker Ian Lewis's garage in Richmond Terrace became a very unlikely tourist hotspot just before Christmas in 2018, attracting visitors from around the UK after they learned that world-renowned street artist Banksy had painted his latest works there.
Depicting a child dressed for the winter, with his arms outstretched and his tongue sticking out, the work appears to show them trying to catch snowflakes on one wall - but on the other side of the wall, it's clear that the apparent snowflakes are actually flakes from ash and smoke from a fire in a skip.
READ MORE: Banksy's Season's Greetings has been moved from Port Talbot
The arrival of Season's Greetings, as the painting was officially named, left Mr Lewis unable to sleep for two days, as he became "completely overwhelmed" by the attention it was receiving, and Neath Port Talbot Council had to employ security guards to keep a watchful eye over the art and ensure nobody tried to damage it. Steel fencing was also erected around the garage.
As a result of his experience at the time, Mr Lewis accepted an offer from an Essex-based art dealer, John Brandler for the piece. It cost an unspecified six-figure sum to acquire the now famous artwork.
In May 2019 it was moved from the Taibach garage wall to Ty'r Orsaf, the site of the former police station on Station Road. The painstaking process to move the 2.5 tonne wall was carried out by Baglan -based company, Andrew Scott Ltd.
Mr Brandler initially said he had plans to build an "international-level street art museum" in Port Talbot, which the piece would become part of. But he later claimed those plans were rejected by Neath Port Talbot Council, leaving him "saddened".
Neath Port Talbot Council's leader, councillor Ted Latham, said keeping the artwork in the town would have cost £100,000 a year just for the loan of the piece - and more money to pay for a new home, moving and insurance costs.
On Tuesday, February 8, 2022, the modern masterpiece was removed from Port Talbot is now making its way to 'a temporary highly secured undisclosed storage unit'. It is not yet known what its fate will be after that, although the Banksy Preservation Society is planning to raise money to put it on permanent display.
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