Twisted Metal, Pointed Skywards
Over a period of two years, Roo Lewis photographed the Welsh town of Port Talbot, where frequent UFO sightings feel like a longing for something more.
One of the most polluted cities in the UK, easily bypassed since a motorway made a stop in town unnecessary, Port Talbot is also nestled around areas of natural beauty. Photographer Ron Lewis set out to discover what makes a steelwork town so likely to be visited by aliens. “The jump we make from truth to belief, is faith”, he writes. “This coupled with our limited capacity for truth makes a captivating subject—a hotbed of storytelling never to be ruined with facts.”
Evening sun heading west towards Swansea. © Roo Lewis
Holly during the weekly Seacadet parade. © Roo Lewis
Captain Beany runs the world's only baked bean museum. Since the 80’s he has raised over £100,000 for good causes. His head is tattooed with drawings of beans, each one initialled - one of his charity stunts where patrons could donate money in order to be immortalised. © Roo Lewis
I spent an evening in ‘the trench’—an out of bounds storm drain right by the steelworks. When the blast furnace is going you feel alive— you can feel the energy going through your whole body. © Roo Lewis
‘There is magic to this town - a romance in the history, the people, the rhythm, the folklore…. My investigation has been about Welsh power and the drive to succeed. The power of hope—we are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. Do the lights in the sky represent hope?’
Natalie floating on a reservoir overlooking the town, originally a colliery which supplied coal to the nearby copper works at Taibach. The depth is rumoured to be over 100ft and home to many cars which have fallen in and sunk to the bottom. © Roo Lewis
Sir Terry Allen helped build the motorway he then slept under for many years, seeing the town throughout the boom years and later in decline. When I asked if he had ever seen any UFO’s, he replied, ‘I’ve seen everything.’ © Roo Lewis
Miss Wales 2019/2020, Gabriella Jukes, on top of Mynydd Dinas, overlooking Baglan Bay power station. © Roo Lewis
