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PRESS RELEASE 21.05.15 Diffusion: Cardiff International Festival of Photography Looking for America 1 – 31 October 2015

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PRESS RELEASE 21.05.15 Diffusion: Cardiff International Festival of Photography Looking for America 1 – 31 October 2015 PRESS RELEASE 21.05.15 Diffusion: Cardiff International Festival of Photography Looking for America 1 – 31 October 2015 After the highly successful inaugural festival in 2013, Ffotogallery and its partners are delighted to announce the return of Diffusion: Cardiff International Festival of Photography, 1- 31 October 2015. Diffusion 2015’s chosen theme is Looking for America, a cross-disciplinary investigation of the status and meaning of the 'American Dream' in relation to experience in Wales, contemporary America and the rest of the world. Festival Director David Drake explains: “The American Dream still holds an important place in the public imagination, and Diffusion will explore different aspects of contemporary American experience and influence, from both sides of the Atlantic. We are especially interested in exploring Wales’ relationship with the Americas, North and South, including of course Patagonia, for which 2015 marks the 150 year anniversary of the Welsh presence there”. Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Ken Skates, said: “Following the successful inaugural event in 2013 I’m delighted that the Welsh Government is continuing to support Diffusion’s continued growth and development. The plans for the 2015 festival which focus on America, one of our key tourism markets, are certain to capture the imagination of many, as well as raise Cardiff and Wales' international reputation as a centre for contemporary art, media and design. I look forward to visiting many sites across the city in October.” Taking place in venues across Cardiff and beyond, the festival sees a month long programme of exhibitions, interventions, screenings, performances, events and celebrations in both physical and virtual spaces and places. The festival will use both traditional and new media to create a strong visual presence across existing venues and found spaces. The aim is to encourage visitors and residents alike to navigate Cardiff and its environs in new ways, and to discover facets of the city they would not normally expect to find. Festival highlights include And Now It’s Dark, an exhibition of American night photography featuring three important contemporary American photographers - Jeff Brouws, Todd Hido and Will Steacy. Serge Clément’s Dépaysé offers a psycho-geographical tour of his native Montreal drawing on various bodies of work spanning forty years. The powerful exhibition As It was Give(n) to Me by Kentucky born artist Stacy Kranitz’s invites comparisons between the economic struggles of mining communities in Wales and in central Appalachia. Welsh photographer Jack Latham‘s A Pink Flamingo takes us on a journey along the Oregon Trail – a route that has become part of American history and embedded itself in the dreams of those looking for something better on the horizon of somewhere else. Clémentine Schneidermann’s I called her Lisa Marie poignantly celebrates Elvis mythologies and obsessions as found in Porthcawl and Memphis. In High School and Right photographer Jona Frank captures the hopes, fears and aspirations of young Americans from different class and cultural backgrounds. The husband and wife artistic team of Hillerbrand+Magsamen incorporate humour, performance, video and everyday objects from their personal family life into a contemporary art conversation about family dynamics, suburban life and American consumer excess. The festival will also explore links between Wales and the Caribbean. The work arising from artist Julian Germain’s commission for the Hidden Presence project will be premiered at Diffusion 2015. In partnership with Chepstow Museum and Butetown History and Arts Centre, Ffotogallery has been working with schools and community groups to explore the history of Nathaniel Wells’ country seat, Piercefield House and and the relationship between the sea ports of South Wales and Wells’ birthplace, St Kitts in the West Indies. The Caravan Gallery will present their national touring Pride of Place Project, which includes their mobile exhibition venue, at the festival in order to look for America in Cardiff, engaging with local people in places that normal galleries might not easily reach, to take the festival city wide. Having built a wide base of partnerships in Wales and internationally, Diffusion is about bringing new international art to Wales whilst showcasing Welsh talent, and as was the case for the first festival, Diffusion 2015 will draw on a significant pool of talent and contacts developed by Ffotogallery over the last three decades. The excitement of directly participating in the festival, and the international reach and visibility of the event, will be further enhanced through printed and online publications, websites, mobile content and discussion on social media platforms and public realm interactive experiences. The festival Opening Weekend, 1 – 4th October, sees exhibitions and events across the city, including the Civic Opening at the Senedd, as well as the International Portfolio Review at the Welsh Millennium Centre. Throughout the month there will be exhibitions, artist talks and workshops, schools’ programmes around the city, culminating in the Diffusion international symposium at the end of October. Notes to Editors: 1. Diffusion Diffusion is a biennial month-long international festival of photography taking place in Cardiff, Wales' capital city. The festival is initiated and delivered by Ffotogallery in collaboration with a wide range of local, national and international partners and supporters. Diffusion is a celebration of photography and the photographic image, in all its forms. Whether created, published, exhibited, collected or distributed in a physical or virtual way, the photograph has the power to inspire and provoke reaction, to reflect our own experience and that of society evolving around us. 2. Ffotogallery As the major force for contemporary photography in Wales, Ffotogallery is recognised as the forum for contemporary debate and a focus for new developments in British and international photographic art. As a national organisation, its view is naturally outward looking, with an exhibition programme featuring photographers from Wales and the rest of the world. Ffotogallery seeks to widen its range of influence through touring exhibitions, collaborations with other organisations and galleries, through publications, and an expanding education programme. As well as delivering Diffusion, Ffotogallery is curating and presenting the artist Helen Sear at Cymru yn Fenis/Wales in Venice 2015. In non-Diffusion years we are also a partner and presenting venue for Artes Mundi and organise the Wish You Were Here seasons promoting new work by emergent photographic and lens-based artists living and practising in Wales. Ffotogallery is the lead agency for the European Prospects transnational cultural cooperation programme and has an ongoing commitment to international working within Europe and beyond. www.ffotogallery.org 3. Funders and Partners Diffusion is a Ffotogallery initiative made possible through the generous support and partnership of a number of organisations: Core Grant Funders Arts Council of Wales, Welsh Government Partners & Venues Chapter, g39, BayArt, Norwegian Church, Third Floor Gallery, Canadian Cultural Centre, Cardiff City Council, Cardiff Contemporary, University of Wales Trinity St Davids, Senedd | Welsh Assembly, Fotografie Forum Frankfurt, Fotosommer Stuttgart, Le Chateau d’Eau Toulouse, Wales Millennium Centre, Arcade Cardiff, Bafta Cymru, Caravan Gallery, Bute Town History and Arts Centre, Chepstow Museum, National Museum Cardiff, Tu Fewn (joint iniaitive by DASH and DAC), Galerie Les filles du Calvaire For press enquiries contact: [email protected] / +44(0) 29 2034 1667 Sign up for festival news and updates on the Diffusion Festival website: www.diffusionfestival.org Email: [email protected] Twitter: @_Diffusion Facebook & Flickr: diffusionfestival ENDS .
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