Wales Feed

Mostyn prepares for David Nash exhibition

Laura Chamberlain — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:25:11 +0000

Mostyn in Llandudno is currently gearing up for a new exhibition of the work of one of Wales' foremost sculptors, but as you can see from these pictures it's no easy task.

Blaenau Ffestiniog-based sculptor David Nash constructs works from wood, as well using living plants and trees to create art works - one of the most famous examples being his Ash Dome.

Many of Nash's works are often on a large scale. It took a specialist transport firm from Nash's hometown of Blaenau to deliver the pieces; three trucks, one fork lift, two pallet trucks and a lot of hard work was required to get the work into the gallery in about three hours.

One of the Nash pieces on a pallet in the gallery

Another piece entering the gallery...

... and being manoeuvred into position.

More sculptures waiting to be unloaded from the lorry

Some of the 'black' pieces by Nash. The sculptures can be seen, minus the protective Cellophane, in the exhibition that opens at Mostyn on 24 September.
All photos courtesy of Martin Barlow and Oriel Mostyn

This new exhibition of 25 works, four of which have been made especially for Mostyn, is entitled Red, Black, Other. It will examine the presence and function of colour in Nash's work, to date a largely unexplored theme in the artist's work.

Fire has been an essential component in Nash's work over the years, and some of the charred black pieces that will be on show include King and Queen, 1997 and Torso, 2009. Red pieces, made from yew and redwood, can be seen such as Red Sheaves, 2008 and Redwood Cutups, 2011 while other colours will be represented in works such as Blue Ring, 1992 and Sod Swap, 1983.

It will be the first time since the gallery reopened in May 2010 following its refurbishment and extension that an exhibition will take up all of the ground floor gallery space.

Red, Black, Other will open to the public on Saturday 24 September and will run until Sunday 13 November. Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas will officially open the exhibition at 6.30pm on Friday 23 September.

You can see more photographs of the team unloading some of the huge sculptures on the Mostyn Facebook page. Plus browse the Mostyn website to see what else is happening at the Llandudno gallery.

Pont Books present new title on artist David Nash

Laura Chamberlain — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 10:36:54 +0000

Pont Books have released a new title that explores the work of one of the most important artists living and working in Wales, sculptor David Nash.

Nash was born in Surrey in 1945. He studied at Kingston College of Art and Brighton College of Art before attending Chelsea School of Art between 1969 and 1970. He moved to the former slate mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog after graduating from Chelsea and it has since remained his home.

The sculptor takes his inspiration from the distinctive landscape surrounding Blaenau and the area has been a major part of his success. He works primarily with wood and trees, with natural forces and the nature of the tree itself being integral to his art. In a career spanning 40 years he has created over 2,000 sculptures out of wood, many of them monumental in scale.

David Nash: A Place in the Wood is the latest addition to the series of publications about Welsh artists from authors Carolyn Davies and Lynne Bebb. They have selected numerous striking images of Nash's wood sculptures for the book, as well as living artworks such as the famous Ash Dome.

David Nash's Pyramid, Sphere and Cube. Photo © Jonty Wilde

Another example of David Nash's work. Photo © Jonty Wilde

Pont Books is a branch of Gomer Press. For more information visit the Gomer website.

David Nash on BBC Two Wales

Laura Chamberlain — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:26:36 +0000

Like sculpture? Make sure you watch a new programme on BBC Two Wales tonight about Wales-based artist David Nash, one of the leading figures in sculpture in Britain.

Nash was born in Esher, Surrey in 1945. He studied at Kingston College of Art, Brighton College of Art and Chelsea School of Art, and moved to Blaenau Ffestiniog in north Wales after leaving Chelsea.

He is considered one of Britain's most important living artists and has established an international reputation. His sculptures are held in collections at major galleries and public spaces around the world.

This programme reveals how Blaenau Ffestiniog is fundamental to the artist's ideas and has been a major part of his success.

Working in wood, Nash has developed a deep understanding of his materials. Natural forces and the nature of the tree itself are integral to his art. Cut with a chainsaw and allowed to crack, warp and bend or planted on a hillside to grow into a form as a 'living sculpture', the landscape of north Wales is often the foundation of his work.

David Nash is on BBC Two Wales on Thursday 2 June at 7pm, and will be available to watch again on the BBC iPlayer for the subsequent seven days.

Six Bells Miners' Memorial completed

Laura Chamberlain — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:55:52 +0000

Guardian, the new memorial to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Six Bells mining disaster, has now been completed.

On 28 June 1960 a coal and gas explosion tore through the Six Bells colliery killing 45 miners. Welsh-based sculptor Sebastien Boyesen was commissioned to build a new memorial to honour the victims of the colliery disaster to coincide with the anniversary.

The 20m high statue now includes its arms, which were missing when the landmark was unveiled on the anniversary during a remembrance ceremony.

The completed Six Bells Miners' Memorial - Guardian - by Sebastien Boyesen

Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council and Six Bells Communities First secured the £200,000 funding needed for the statue, which is a 12.6m high miner constructed of slices of corten steel standing on a 7.4m high sandstone face plinth.

The name, age and occupation of each of the 45 victims has been laser cut into the corten steel band that surrounds the plinth.

Read more on the story on the BBC Wales News website and find out more about renowned sculptor Boyesen on BBC Wales Arts.

While you're there, browse a gallery of photos of the memorial at different stages during its construction and watch a video clip of timelapse footage of the statue's assembly.

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St Dogmaels Gallery summer show

Laura Chamberlain — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 11:05:17 +0000

An exhibition featuring some of the best contemporary art in Wales has gone on display at the St Dogmaels Gallery summer show.

The summer exhibition at the gallery in Cardigan showcases painting, photography, sculpture and film, and features work by artists such as Dan Backhouse, Elizabeth Haines, Caroline Hartley, Gina Hughes, Helen Gillam, Sian Jones, Tricia McParlin, Peter Taylor-Wood, Steve Thompson, Susan Sands, Jessica Woodrow and Geoff Yeomans.

Works of some of the artists exhibiting at the St Dogmaels Gallery summer show

Film on show features works by Penny Jones, Ruth Jones, Sinclair Stammers, Jacob Whittaker and Simon Whitehead.

Many of the artists that are exhibiting were selected from the successful Art At Rhosygilwen event held in early July this year.

The summer show at St Dogmaels Gallery runs from 24 July to early September, with an open evening set for 5 August that will feature Morag Henderson and Marjory McKay.

Performance art events are also planned later that month, with an evening of mask and music on Friday 27 August while on Saturday 28 August art tour guides Maggie Nicols and Claire Turner will accompany gallery visitors on a journey of discovery of the works in the exhibition.

Visit the gallery's website for more details.

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Gillian Clarke commemorates Six Bells with new poem

Laura Chamberlain — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:40:10 +0000

National Poet of Wales Gillian Clarke has a written a new poem to mark the 50th anniversary of the Six Bells colliery disaster.

Monday 28 June marked 50 years since the explosion at the Arael Griffin pit at the Six Bells Colliery that killed 45 men.

Clarke's poem imagines the women and housewives, going about their chores of hanging out the washing or scrubbing the front steps, hearing "a pulse inside the earth like a blow to the heart", and the reaction to the disaster.

Read Gillian Clarke's poem on the Academi website.

Llangrannog-based sculptor Sebastien Boyesen was commissioned to design and build a new memorial to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the tragedy.

Browse a photo gallery of pictures taken while the sculpture was under construction.

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Bell could toll for Aberdyfi in Marcus Vergette project

Laura Chamberlain — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 11:18:55 +0000

Villagers in Aberdyfi have agreed to be part of artist Marcus Vergette's Time and Tide Bell project, a permanent installation of 12 bells around Britain, that expresses ideas of community and individuality, with resonance both symbolical and acoustic.

The community of the north west Wales town have voted in favour of pursuing the project further, though the project is still at an early stage. Community council chairman Dewi Owen is quoted in the Daily Post today: "With the legend of the lost city of Cantre'r Gwaelod and the theme of the Bells of Aberdyfi being so central to our village, this project seems very appropriate."

Read more on the Daily Post website, and as originally reported on the BBC Wales News website earlier this year.

BBC Cymru Wales seeks artist for special "Grav" commission

BBC Wales Arts — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:10:22 +0000

The search for the artist is being launched in partnership with Safle, the Wales-based independent public art consultancy and one of the largest public art organisations in the UK.

The final art work will sit alongside other figurative busts - including Carwyn James and Ryan Davies - in the reception area of BBC Wales in Cardiff, and will depict Ray Gravell in his role as broadcaster.

Ray Gravell was a regular commentator and pundit on BBC Wales radio and TV programmes, hosting his own BBC Radio Cymru programme Grav, as well as starring in a range of TV dramas.

As a rugby player Ray Gravell won 23 Welsh caps and a place in the British Lions squad which toured South Africa in 1980. He played for Llanelli from 1969 to 1985, was part of the Scarlets team which famously beat the All Blacks in 1972 and captained the team between 1980 and 1982.

Full details of the selection process are available on the Safle website at www.safle.com. Shortlisted artists will be invited to make a presentation of previous work and discuss their experience and particular interest in this project.