Case Study
Bucket Hats & Britpop: Oasis Mural
- Service
- Photography
-
The Project
Bucket Hats & Britpop: Oasis Mural
-
Service
Photography
Creative Concept
Ahead of Oasis’ long-awaited reunion tour, Saint David’s shopping centre in Cardiff commissioned a bold tribute to the band: a 13-foot-tall, 20-foot-wide portrait of the Gallagher brothers made entirely of thousands of bucket hats. Created by Welsh artist Nathan Wyburn, the installation was unveiled on 28 June as part of a celebration to kick off the band’s tour.PA Media Assignmentswas tasked with capturing this one-of-a-kind artwork through photography, aimed at both editorial outlets and digital channels.
EDITORIAL USE ONLY Artist Nathan Wyburn with his artwork ‘The Wonder Wall’, a monochrome portrait of Oasis bandmates Noel and Liam Gallagher constructed entirely from bucket hats, commissioned by St David’s, on display at the shopping centre in Cardiff.Photo: Alistair Heap Media Assignments / PA28 Jun 2025
Execution and Editorial Impact
Photographer Alistair Heap led the photography assignment, capturing the mural and the surrounding event for use across broadcast, print, and online. Despite some initial uncertainty around the visual impact of the installation since the team had not seen it in advance, the resulting imagery proved highly newsworthy. The content was picked up by outlets including BBC, ITV, Wales Online, and Yahoo, drawing attention for its interesting visual properties and strong connection to a timely cultural moment. The assignment demonstrated the value of photography in response to major entertainment events.
EDITORIAL USE ONLY Members of the public view ‘The Wonder Wall’, a monochrome portrait of Oasis bandmates Noel and Liam Gallagher constructed entirely from bucket hats, commissioned by St David’s and created by Welsh artist Nathan Wyburn, on display at the shopping centre in Cardiff.Photo: Alistair Heap Media Assignments / PA28 Jun 2025
Location, Logistics and Local Talent
This project also highlighted how PA Media Assignments can deliver results from anywhere in the UK, not just London. Using a trusted map of national photographers, the team swiftly matched the Cardiff brief with a local shooter. This approach allows for fast turnarounds and responsive coverage, even over weekends, while still meeting the creative and editorial standards expected of national press photographers.
EDITORIAL USE ONLY Artist Nathan Wyburn with his artwork ‘The Wonder Wall’, a monochrome portrait of Oasis bandmates Noel and Liam Gallagher constructed entirely from bucket hats, commissioned by St David’s, on display at the shopping centre in Cardiff.Photo: Alistair Heap Media Assignments / PA28 Jun 2025
