upfront
DIFFUSION FESTIVAL
In its inaugural year , Diffusion promises a packed month of intriguing photographic art for all to enjoy . Gareth Ludkin finds out more about what ’ s on offer .
P
hotography is familiar , safe and pervasive , it enters our lives on a daily basis ( whether we ’ re aware of it or not ), and as a result of advances in technology , it is also easy , everyday and attainable . Mobile phone photography continues to shape how we interact and view the world , and with the improving quality of high street cameras , professional quality photography is now widely available . For David Drake , director of the National Photography Agency In Wales , the accessibility of photography is just one of the many reasons why an international photography festival is perfectly suited to Cardiff and South Wales more generally . “ It ’ s a very powerful and flexible medium in terms of what it communicates about the world that we live in ,” enthuses David . “ I feel that people are able to engage with it because there is that familiarity . Sometimes people who feel a little uncomfortable about going into an art gallery will go to a photography exhibition as it feels less frightening to cross the threshold .” It is out of this ethos and desire to break down any barriers between artist and audience that Diffusion , Cardiff ’ s inaugural international photography festival , has materialised . From Wed 1-Fri 31 May , Cardiff ’ s residents and visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy all manner of interesting , enlightening and surprising photographic exhibitions in traditional and quirky venues throughout the city . As David explains , “ Cardiff may not have all the contemporary art venues that one might expect to find in Wales ’ capital city , but it has some really interesting buildings that can become temporary venues , and a vibrant community of arts and cultural organisations , individual artists , designers , producers and creatives .” Among the venues , Diffusion sees the first official use of the Cardiff Tram Shed in Riverside which has
BUZZ 10
European Chronicles
recently been put up for sale by the council . Having had only two weeks to convert the bus depot into an arts gallery , it is hoped that the festival will not only be a draw for people interested in seeing the inside of the building , but that it will also surprise and delight those that enter . Three exhibitions of fantastic work will be on show from people like David Bailey , Peter Fraser and Jeremy Deller alongside new work from Wales-based photographers . Other venues include Cardiff Story , BayArt , Chapter Arts Centre , National Museum Wales , Arcadecardiff , Ffotogallery , Oriel Canfas and the Norwegian Church among many others . As such , even for those who are unaware of the city-wide festival , there are many opportunities to simply stumble across artwork and film installations from international and Welsh artists . It ’ s Not Too Late It ’ s Only Dark from Italian artist Maurizio Anzeri will be his first solo exhibition in Wales , and Edgar Martins from Portugal brings his exhibition The Time Machine : an investigation into the hopeful prospects instilled in 20 powerplants across Portugal . The global phenomenon of high-rise architecture is critiqued in Pete Bobby ’ s High-Rise , and Helen Sear takes seemingly simple objects and transforms them into captivating pieces that blur the lines between fine art and photography in Lure at BayArt . Collective exhibitions within the festival programme also feature the work of numerous photographers tackling certain themes or subjects . As David explains , the theme and name of the festival also took some deliberation when compiling the programme . “ Diffusion is an optical expression and it is associated with light and lenses and photography . It also conveys that it is a network event , a collaborative endeavour which has an impact in different parts of the city and beyond ,” explains David . The title also leads into the festival programming , with artists , cultural producers , curators and programmes being asked to address the question “ And Where Are We Now ?” which is explored with audiences and participants throughout the festival . “ The world has never before been so visualised , yet the nature and meaning of photography and its status in art has never been so hotly debated ,” argues David , noting that we live in an age of image glut . “ Diffusion offers a space for artists , cultural agents and audiences to share experience and creative endeavour , to begin to make sense of a world where almost anyone can and will become a photographer and distribute their images within online communities – a society in which our experience of time and space has dramatically changed .” To this end , Diffusion will also include numerous interactive elements for those who want to become more deeply involved in the festival . The opening weekend includes a symposium at the National Museum Cardiff which looks at the status and