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Windtwisters an artwork by local artist Dex Hannon.

A bold new artwork by Blyth-based artist Dex Hannon has been selected to appear on the hoarding surrounding the construction site of the new Energy Central Institute in Blyth City Centre. The piece, ‘Windtwisters – Remember to Evolve’, will bring a splash of colour during the build of this major new facility.

The Energy Central Institute will be a higher-level skills and innovation centre, developing energy sector expertise at degree and PhD levels. As the site takes shape, Hannon’s artwork will serve as a visual landmark, reflecting the town’s evolving identity and its leadership in renewable energy.

The artwork captures Blyth’s journey from coal to clean energy, using the image of wind turbines not just as static structures but as dynamic, cartwheeling forms. These “windtwisters” spin and dance across the composition, symbolising the energy and momentum of change. At the centre of the piece is the idea of evolution, both industrial and cultural, with the turbines acting as metaphors for the town’s forward motion.

Once the busiest port in England, Blyth shipped over six million tonnes of coal in 1961; its docks were alive with the energy of an industrial nation. Today, the town is leading a new revolution in renewable energy, and Hannon’s work reflects this shift. The inclusion of the WW2 Blockhouse serves as a reminder that progress does not mean forgetting the past; it means carrying it with us.

Part of Hannon’s Blythian Memes series, the piece continues his exploration of place, repetition and reinvention. The colours are drawn from the town’s changing landscape, echoing the vibrancy of a community in transition.

“There’s joy in the movement of Windtwisters; it’s playful, full of colour and life,” said Hannon, “but it’s also rooted in something deeper. As we move into a future powered by renewables, we carry the strength of our past with us. This piece is about honouring both.”

The installation is part of Blyth Celebrates, a public art initiative within the £95 million Energising Blyth regeneration programme. The project is being delivered by Northumberland County Council, with funding from the UK Government, Northumberland County Council and the North East Combined Authority, supported by a range of partners.

Dex Hannon is a British abstract expressionist and multimedia artist whose practice spans painting, digitalism, film, sound and photography. Based in Blyth, his work is rooted in the idea of constant reinvention; each piece is a spark for the next.