Port Talbot's Last Blast Furnace: A Photographic Elegy and Community Portrait
In Port Talbot, Wales, an exhibition named 'Steeling Ourselves' highlights the impact of the Tata Steel plant's blast furnaces closure in 2024, which led to nearly 3,000 job losses. Photographer Jon Pountney, one of only two individuals permitted to document the final moments inside the furnace, merges images and interviews from local residents, illustrating the town's life amid the shutdown. This exhibition is part of 'After the End,' a research initiative by Exeter, Oxford, and Liverpool John Moores universities, spearheaded by Patricia Kingori, which examines community responses to endings. Among those featured is 95-year-old Margaret Heggett, who shares her thoughts on the town's decline. Located at the Plaza community hub, the exhibition celebrates resilience. Tata Steel is moving towards a greener electric arc furnace, encountering delays and a decrease in jobs.
Key facts
- Tata Steel's blast furnaces in Port Talbot shut down in 2024 after more than 100 years.
- The closure cost nearly 3,000 jobs.
- Jon Pountney was one of two photographers to witness the final days inside the furnace.
- The exhibition 'Steeling Ourselves' is on display at the Plaza community hub in Port Talbot.
- The exhibition is part of the 'After the End' research project by Exeter, Oxford, and Liverpool John Moores universities.
- Margaret Heggett, 95, was photographed for the project.
- Patricia Kingori is the lead researcher on 'After the End'.
- Tata Steel is transitioning to a greener electric arc furnace, but the project has been delayed.
- Port Talbot is described as one of the most deprived areas in the UK.
Entities
Artists
- Jon Pountney
- Margaret Heggett
Institutions
- Tata Steel
- University of Exeter
- University of Oxford
- Liverpool John Moores University
- Plaza
Locations
- Port Talbot
- Wales
- United Kingdom
- Aberavon beach
- Rhondda