Find secret treasures in the garden…
Contemporary artists exhibit in a garden being brought back to life
Kathryn Campbell Dodd, Kate Dunwell, George Manson, Seren Stacey, Jacob Whittaker, Rose Wood, Sam Vicary, Sean Vicary and Toby Downing.
Following the success of last year’s two day event, The Garden exhibition returns to Tŷ Rhos Uchaf for a second year on Sunday 17th and Monday 18th of August 2014. Contemporary artist from Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion will exhibit artworks in the grounds and outbuildings of the former Nevern Nurseries. This smallholding bears evidence of its past uses, from the unusually varied species of trees along its avenue and Christmas tree plantation to the exotic contents of the industrial scale greenhouses. The main greenhouse is blooming with 50 year old roses in shades from apricot to vermilion; figs are abundant as are the wild plants or weeds which colonise any forgotten garden. But Kate Dunwell and partner Will Suiter, with help from the Dunwell family, have been lovingly excavating and restoring the site to reveal the secret garden once more.
“Its a captivating place, there’s something dream like about it, like (Hodgson Burnett’s) The Secret Garden. It invites people to try out their ideas as you can see in the layers of history and evidence of different people’s projects throughout the years”, Seren Stacey.
The site is a source of inspiration for the artist involved, yet the artwork doesn’t seek to battle with the natural beauty but to heighten the experience of being there. There is a communal, village fete spirit to the event as people are invited to walk in the gardens, view and interact with the artworks and relax with cream teas.
Photographic artists Kate Dunwell has been making drawings and mono-prints using the abundance of glass from the old greenhouses which she will install.
As well as exhibiting in Colony 2014 (Cardigan) Kathryn Campbell Dodd is making new work specifically for this site. She is interested in the ‘object’ within visual art and craft contexts and in this context will turn her focus on the abandoned tools and storage in the traditional barns.
Following on from his recent work for the annual contemporary art exhibition Rhôd 2014 artist George Manson will bring his quirky, humorous take on the village notice board.
Seren Stacey has spent the past 6 months mapping and naming textures and features of Llandysul and Ponweli, two villages in the Teifi Valley, as part of a wry take on decorators’ paint swatches.
Jacob Whittaker’s film, performance and socially engaged artwork often explores sound music and memory. Previous and ongoing projects include recording the resonance of Ceredigion’s Chapel buildings and mapping the unique visual ‘fingerprint’ of people’s voices. For The Garden 2014 Jacob will combine his art practice with his passion for hedgerow winemaking.
Rose Wood is an emerging jewellery designer who has been inspired to juxtapose her unique designs with the faded aesthetic of this tumbledown smallholding. You will find her designs twinkling from potting sheds and Dutch barns.
‘Nurturing the idea of taming her garden space and the birds that visit, Sam Vicary has a longing to bring them in to her world. Through her paintings, she wants to bring their beauty into the home, juxtaposing them with the interior”.
Sean Vicary has gained acclaim for his pioneering use of animation and augmented reality to create work inspired by the Welsh landscape. For The Garden Sean Vicary is collaborating with sensational prop maker Toby Downing (of Small World Theatre) to create an interactive installation which combines automata (moving sculpture) with animation.
There is a rich cultural offer over the weekend with the annual Colony exhibition, only 20 minutes away, showing work by contemporary artists from West Wales in multiple sites across Cardigan Town.
Cream teas and other refreshments will be on sale.
Price: FREE
Web: thegarden2014.wordpress.com/
Location: Tŷ Rhos Uchaf
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