Changing Swansea Catalogue
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CHANGING SWANSEA SWANSEA PRINT WORKSHOP Jackie Ford Swansea Museum stores David Barron Civic Centre from Mount Pleasant Alan Figg Slip Bridge with Red Kite Leila Bebb Street Lights Past : Future “Er gôf fy ffrind. This is in memory of “‘I didn't know Dylan was posh’ Sea : Urban a dear friend who died recently. I heard two girls say to each other, Everyday : Grand A veteran of World War II, she enlisted and Swansea is comfortable for not Derelict : New in the Wrens where she was stationed being so, but she inherits some Crumbling : Regeneration in Swansea, riding her dispatch aristocratic sculpture on surviving - Industrial : Personal motorcycle all over Swansea during from-the-bombs Edwardian buildings Iconographic : Backstreets the Blitz. It’s now seventy years since and this is a relief among the 50s the War started and most of the building. veterans are dead. I miss their So I intended to show this as part of Changing Swansea - generation, their duty and stoicism.” Changing Swansea. But as I looked at a city of contrasts ROSE DAVIES the bay from my grandstand window Swansea is undergoing a it seemed to me that the most tremendous change in both the “The theme 'Changing Swansea' important change, in the past, in the physical and social landscape. offered great possibilities and present, and, threateningly, in the Swansea Print Workshop challenges for someone such as future, is the moment when the rain embarked on an ambitious myself, who was born and bred in this stops, or doesn't So this is the change project funded by the Arts 'ugly, lovely town'. I have recorded.” ROSEMARY IND Council of Wales to track and There have been many changes to record a ‘snapshot’ of the city this city over the years, some good, “I live near Brecon in the Beacons, over a 12 month period through some not so good and some simply therefore for this project I have the medium of printmaking. awful. As a student at Swansea chosen a part of Swansea I am very Offering trips to Swansea College of Art in the early sixties, I familiar with, the Landore Park and Museum and the Museum marched with others in protest at the Ride site. I was intrigued by the stores, together with artist’s decision to build a shop in the mock- derelict buildings on the site. talks and a range of workshops Tudor style. The re-building of central After learning they were part of an from beginner level to Swansea after the Blitz presented a old copper works, I delved into the Masterclasses, we sought to golden opportunity to create a amazing history of Swansea’s reach the widest range of modern town with good architecture, relationship with copper during the participants. Community but much of the re-build was of an industrial revolution - the riches groups, schools, professional inferior quality. I have many grievances acquired from supplying nearly the artists and beginners, across over some of the decision-making whole of the world’s copper at that generations, visitors and since the late 1940's, but my current time, and the battles with local residents alike, all took time to irritation concerns the removal of the farmers over the pollution of contemplate this city of Mumbles Road slip bridge to its agricultural land. Landore was one of contrasts. present ludicrous position on the many copper works spread along the The exhibition orchestrates the promenade. I find it baffling that such banks of the Tawe. I have tried to very personal responses of an iconographic edifice can be treated juxtapose old and new, as does the artists, emerging artists and in this way and would dearly like to site itself.” LESLEY LILLYWHITE those new to printmaking. see it restored.” ALAN FIGG “I looked at what sustained Swansea in “I’ve done three screenprints, all based “What makes a good urban the past, and what might be its future. on drawings, and each reflecting environment? Is it just the major The docks were an intrinsic part of the changing Swansea in a different way. buildings or does the character of city for centuries and they were The big corgi was fibreglass, the size of everyday ones and of ‘spaces in- essential for our defence. They a caravan. It used to stand in a front between’ also contribute to urban provided major employment for a wide garden in Limeslade, until one day fire quality? I have used ordinary lino-cuts range of workers throughout South reduced it to a pile of smouldering to record changing, or recently Wales and their demise has seen a paws. Now it is one of the things which changed parts of Swansea and hope huge loss of specialised skills and just exist in memory. The Mumbles the viewer will consider what kind of jobs. The docks were also great Pier Gorilla is another big fibreglass city they would really like. Is Swansea consumers of energy, and now the animal, still around but sadly injured. ‘almost all right’?” HILARY STANWORTH balance needs to be redressed. There's There are some more outsize model at least one wind turbine in what was animals – the swan pedaloes – in the “The theme of changing Swansea was the area of the old docks. There are background of the Singleton geese – fascinating and I have used the subject plans for more out at sea, and with a constant presence in the park, matter to explore how a place is these developments come new skills though individuals will change.” affected by the influence of the times and expertise. The sea will always be ALISON PORTER in which we live. The transport important to Swansea, but how it is museum reflects solutions before oil. utilised is changing, except that we will “I like to document what I see A man sitting on a seat, a long time changing around me. Once I did it always want to paddle in it.” VIV MULLET resident of Swansea with his bike, was solely with photographs these days I remembering how good it was using “My prints are based on photographs incorporate those photographs into trams in Swansea, and we conjectured from the area near the Swansea Print different kinds of print. I try to capture how climate change and oil issues Workshop. This is an area of buildings that sadly have seen better would change the nature of Swansea regeneration but I have tried to indicate days, they were once grand but now again as we struggle to change our the crumbling of the old through the look tired waiting for someone to habits. And what effect will this have breakup in the images. This contrast is breath life into them once again. on Swansea in the future? Wherever very evident in the retention of the old I peer down the backstreets looking for we go there are past memories and historic crest on some older street details to catch my eye, graffiti on these mixed with the concerns and walls, or chimneystacks and un-used signs but not on the new.” JENNY MYNETT attitudes of now shape the landscape. washing lines. Occasionally too I Hopefully now we will learn from the “Things change over time. Some capture the people and with ink and collective wisdom of our species and things can change in an instant such smudges almost transport them back not change just for the sake of change. as shadows destroyed by passing in time to an age that was less The use of photo manipulation and cloud. Others change as the result of complicated when life wasn’t quite as hand painting special papers make it prolonged neglect decaying over a hectic. But it’s a lie. If you look closely possible to explore this theme.” the tell-tale signs of the 21st century longer term presenting a changed CLARE ZEEVI reality. These changes are my still shine through.” KARA SEAMAN concerns.” RUTH PARMITER Jenny Mynett Pub on the corner Adele Vye Tower of the Ecliptic Kara Seaman Past and present Clare Zeevi Same Place different time Dylan Thomas Theatre Artists and Printmakers Outreach Participating Schools David Barron Ten schools embraced the Changing Cefn Hengoed Comprehensive Georgina Baumgartner Swansea theme with a three day Clydach Infants Leila Bebb Artist in Residence: an experienced Hendrefoilan Primary Shiela Clark Printmaker, supported by an Morriston Primary Rose Davies assistant and volunteer assistants. Olchfa Comprehensive James Donavon School classes went on field trips: to Pentrepoeth Infants Alan Figg locations close to their school, others Pentrepoeth Junior Jackie Ford further afield around the city and to Pontarddulais Comprehensive Sarah Hopkins the coast; some pupils looked out Pontybrenin Primary Rosemary Ind from their playground. Lesley Lillywhite All were encouraged to draw what Pentrehafod Comprehensive took part Hilary Stanworth they saw in their local environment as a Reaching Wider initiative in Viv Mullet and we were impressed by the conjunction with Gorseinon College Jenny Mynett richness of observation and diversity Ruth Parmiter of expression from even the very Workshop Leaders Carys Roberts young students. These drawings were Bill Chambers Alison Porter then used to make prints through Owen Griffiths Kara Seaman either screen printing or collagraph Sarah Hopkins Judith Stroud techniques to produce a small edition Adele Vye Adele Vye of signed prints. Alan Williams Clare Zeevi A selection of work produced by the Swansea Print Workshop schools is included in the exhibition, Assistants and Volunteer Assistants provides a platform for the exchange we are only sorry that we can’t show Georgina Baumgartner of information, the delivery of it all. Rebecca Cousins specialist workshops, and in-service Our original funding from the Arts Sophie Demarco training for professional artists council only allowed for five schools Phoebe Martin within the context of contemporary to be included from the 22 schools Heidi Mehta printmaking practice.