PRESSITEADE - Press information from Locws International 2009, Neeme Külm (16.05.2009)

Neeme Külm aims to create a shift in perception of the normal urban environment; his key motivation in his artistic acts is aimed towards the viewers’ reactions, provoking a heightened awareness of what has become too familiar to even notice. In the case of Swansea and its inhabitants, the image and presence of Swansea’s much-loved poet Dylan Thomas and his cultural importance in the city makes such a case. Külm noticed that throughout the city there are many references to Dylan Thomas, including the bronze statue in the aptly named Dylan Thomas Square and wondered how Swansea would be affected if this were to disappear.
His artwork examines the nature of Swansea’s affection for the poet. In doing so his intervention with Dylan Thomas brings a shift from the ordinary, a moment of surprise and uncertainty. It considers the significance of cultural icons and the impact they might have, if any, upon a city. How would Swansea differ without Dylan Thomas?