City's maritime heritage sails into future aboard frieze.

SYMBOLS of Cardiff's proud past have been incorporated into a development that will help shape the city's future.

A specially-designed frieze has been installed in a part of St David's Centre that will form a link with the new pounds 675m St David's 2 shopping centre when it opens in the autumn.

Artist Kathy Dalwood, who has also designed wall decorations and vases for Habitat, cast real-life objects including gloves, rope, and pineapples into 36 tiles.

All the pieces have now been assembled under the glass dome in the St David's Centre atrium.

Ms Dalwood, 50, who is based in London but was born in South Wales, told the Echo she took inspiration for her artwork from sculptures on City Hall and Cardiff Crown Court.

She said: "Few people know they are there, but they depict Cardiff's history and maritime past, including objects like bananas and pineapples to show the city's trade links with exotic countries." She said she was also asked by the St David's Partnership - the company behind the new development - to consider the medieval site on which the current St David's Centre stands.

"I went to the library and I found out that on the site and where St John's Church now stands were the medieval guilds of glovers and cordwainers who used to make rope..

"As many people during that time would not have been able to read, they would display pictures outside." After casting the real objects, Ms Dalwood said she used a cutting-edge technique to blow-up the images. "It was like making 3D photocopies," she said. "I absolutely adored this project and getting to know Cardiff."

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Kathy Dalwood proudly unveiles a new piece of public art she has created at the St David's shopping centre in Cardiff PICTURE: Richard Swingler [umlaut]