Exhibition: Philippa Brown | Tim Evans | Osian Grifford | Jacqueline Jones | Arron Kuiper | Sarah O’Neill | Rachel Oliver | Alan Perry | Gus Payne |Tracey Rhys | Rhys Trimble | Fionn Wilson
Exhibition Preview: Saturday 24th September 7pm – FREE ENTRY
Exhibition continues until 5th November
Open Weds, Thurs 11am – 11pm & Fri, Sat 11am – 1am
Elysium Gallery and Culture Matters invites you to Land of Change Art in the Bar, a gallery preview of artwork from the widely reviewed, Land of Change: Stories of Struggle & Solidarity from Wales.
In an era defined by war, protest and social change, is it time to elevate our hidden histories, imagine inspiring alternatives and show solidarity with the cultural struggle for democracy, freedom and equality?
As a record of resistance, Land of Change unearths and celebrates the rich and diverse lived experiences of working-class, under-represented and marginalised people from Wales. Combining prose, journalism, visual art and photography in a wonderful tapestry of text and imagery, Land of Change links activism, authorship and artistic expression.
About the artists:
Rachel Oliver With a rebellious side, channelling her inner quirk with a passion for urban art, graffiti, photography, illustration and the use of colour and visual delight.
Fionn Wilson Her urban landscapes focus on social alienation, despair and isolation. Her work forms part of public collections including the Marx Memorial Library, the National Coalmining Museum for England, the Museum of London and the Museum of Enfield.
Tracey Rhys Her visual art is concerned with memories from her childhood. She creates figurative representations of the working classes, often at protest, within the Welsh environment.
Osian Grifford is an artist/illustrator/performer and workshop tutor from Llangeitho, Ceredigion, and is currently based in Cardiff where he studied the Illustration BA at CSAD.
Tim Evans is a radical poet and self-taught Swansea-based artist. He has recently began finding his artistic voice and the works included in the anthology are some of his most recent pieces.
Philippa Brown completed an access course for the Cardiff Arts Academy. In 2017, Philippa produced the artwork for the Cardiff Sisters of Solidarity. She now runs Viva La Frieda in Morriston, selling upcycled furniture and her artwork.
Arron Kuiper is an artist practicing in North Wales. He began developing his singular technique of sculptural painting in 2006, which he continues to perfect to this day. His work has been featured in publications like a.n. Magazine, Vice and Business Insider, and has been displayed in various galleries around the UK including the Discerning Eye, Cardiff Contemporary and BEEP Wales. He also occasionally sells some art.
Gustavius Payne was born in Merthyr Tydfil in 1969. Payne won his first art prize in the 1993 National Eisteddfod of Wales, as ‘Student of the Year.’ As a fine artist he is interested in the human predicament. His figurative paintings use Nature, alongside hoodies, mobile phones, religious iconography, and other human constructs. Imagery from mythology and folklore, alongside ecological and political concerns, draws the viewer into a fascinating reflective world, set in the post-industrial Welsh Valleys. He is represented by Ffin-Y- Parc Gallery in Llanrwst, where his work is regularly shown and held in stock, as well as at various other galleries too. He has exhibited regularly since 1994, including an Arts Council of Wales-funded collaborative touring exhibition, Dim Gobaith Caneri (No Hope Canary), with poet and author Mike Jenkins, during 2011—2012.
Alan Perry is an acclaimed poet, accomplished short-story writer and painter living and working in Swansea. He has been married for 55 years to portraitist and painter Jean Perry and they have two grown-up sons who are also artists.
Jacqueline Jones Her art comes directly out of her life and what she’s experiencing. She believes that elitism has no place in the making of art, only quality.
Rhys Trimble These works explore the cusp between typography, image, poetry, visual poetry, neo expressionistic painting techniques, graffiti, concrete poetry, Cerdd dafod and vandalism.
Sarah O’Neill was born and bred in Swansea. She uses the beautiful coastline as well as her faithful Welsh collie Bean as inspiration for her work, which helps her to express emotion and manage her mental health.
Culture Matters is a trade union funded co-operative, rooted in the labour movement, and apart from managing the website they publish books and run Arts Awards in partnership with trade unions.
Email: yourstoriesofwales@gmail.com
www.elysiumgallery.com
@gemhow @culturesmatter @elysiumswansea