pic : SEAN EDWARDS |
|||
|
BE OUR GUEST
Oriel Davies , Newtown Until Wed 4 Sept Tourism is a major component of the Welsh economy and an often unacknowledged part of Welsh experience . The perception of tourism in Wales varies tremendously depending on social , linguistic and political positions ( RS Thomas believed that Wales had become a museum for the English , others are grateful for the money which tourism brings to Wales ). A key part of the history of tourism in Wales is the humble , familyrun B & B . Starting with the Victorian era , and with their heyday in the post-war boom in domestic tourism of the 1950s and 1960s , the B & B has occupied a special part of the Welsh imagination . Now Oriel Davies in Newtown , Powys , is exploring ideas about tourism by producing an exhibition based around the experience of staying in a B & B . The artists in the show have worked with local B & B owners , and tourists themselves , to create works of art based on objects found within B & Bs . Shower curtains , board games , “ quirky fire notices ” and ceramic knik-knaks are all included , with works in different media . The gallery informs us that “ this immersive show features works integrated within the ‘ rooms ’ at the B & B which expose the blurred lines between private and public spaces and the roles played out by both host and guest ”. Which presumably means you can pretend you ’ re staying in a B & B while looking at the exhibits . Admission : free . Info : 01686 623633 / www . orieldavies . org ( DG )
|
CARWYN EVANS : I / O
Gallery / Ten , Cardiff + Wales Millennium Centre , Cardiff Bay Until Sat 13 July The relational concept of culture and the body has always been a major thematic preoccupation for artists as they seek to explore how identity is shaped by humanity ’ s interaction with the ever changing environment that surrounds us . The nature of the body and the way in which it is shaped by culture forms the backbone of Carwyn Evans ’ work . After being awarded the gold medal for fine art at the National Eisteddfod Of Wales in 2012 , Evans ’ work has begun to create a stir , building his reputation as a groundbreaking young artist . This summer , Evans presents his first solo exhibition since winning the esteemed award . Divided between two locations , Gallery / ten and the Wales Millennium Centre , the exhibitions intertwine to portray Evans ’ concern with domestic and external realms . The first instalment at Gallery / Ten , ‘ I ’ ( translated as ‘ to ’ or ‘ for ’ in Welsh ) showcases Evans ’ manipulation of mixed media , working with ceramics , sculpture and prints to draw on the connection between culture and the body . At Wales Millennium Centre , topographical installations make up ‘ O ’ ( translated as ‘ from ’ or ‘ out of ’ in Welsh ) as Evans examines man ’ s relationship with nature . The exhibition epitomises Evans ’ s dynamic and evocative style stemming directly from his attempt to explicitly render in his work the physical effects of migrating from his rural Welsh upbringing . Admission : free . Info : 029 2034 5978 / www . gallery-ten . co . uk ( JR )
|
RONA CAMPBELL : ICE DANCE
Grand Theatre , Swansea Tue 30 July-Fri 16 Aug Rona Campbell has her talented fingers in many creative pies . Not only is she a singer who has performed in cathedrals across South Wales and occupied the role of principle soprano in the Opera De Caracas , nor is she just a prize-winning poet who has appeared at the Edinburgh Festival and been complemented by Ted Hughes , she is also a recognised photographer and visual artist . Her latest exhibition , Ice Dance , uses fine art photography of natural ice and snow from around Wales to create compelling and often intricate pieces . Campbell searches for the poetry within nature , capturing movement and choreography in the static structures and crystals present in the various forms ice takes . Inspired by frost on her kitchen window , she delves into the alien landscapes that reside within the ordinary world of frozen water and celebrates the elaborate forms they achieve . The exhibition also combines Campbell ’ s poetry with the ice images to further explore the graceful beauty on show , giving the viewer a unique glimpse into the intentions of the artist not normally possible in a traditional exhibit . Through the combination of images and words , Campbell uses the ephemeral complexity and elegance of ice forms as a representation of our own delicate and fleeting existence . Admission : free . Info : 01792 475242 / www . ronacampbell . co . uk ( JD )
|
SEAN EDWARDS : DRAWN IN CURSIVE
Chapter Arts Centre , Cardiff Sat 27 July-Sun 22 Sept Is there art in the everyday ? Abergavennybased artist Sean Edwards explores this question in his Drawn In Cursive exhibition at Chapter Arts Centre . Founding his work on the notion that the most mundane materials have sculptural potential , Sean Edward ’ s new exhibition displays some 600 random items . These comprise of objects , images , drawings , photographs and clippings that are often in the process of development , are the remainders of activities or have been found or made . Although spontaneously selected , the artist suggests that all the items have a strong connection . Their re-positioning and re-deliberation endows them with a fresh , fascinating significance . If you ’ re charmed by Sean ’ s innovative take on the ordinary , you ’ ll be pleased to know that your visit plays a fundamental role in the exhibition ’ s ambience . The objects rely on the viewer ’ s creative gaze to become sculptures – the gallery is less a space for completed artwork than a space in which material undergoes a transformation into art . Engaging with its location , the display will adjust as it moves . Leaving Chapter Arts Centre , it will visit a former textile factory in Arles , France , and a purposebuilt gallery in Mostyn , North Wales . Sean inspires us to re-consider immaterial elements of our lives with an original , dynamic worth . Admission : free . Info : 029 2030 4400 / www . chapter . org ( HR )
|
BUZZ 30 |