Exhibition view Photograph

The work explores the difficulties of communication across generations, specifically between art and society or art and industry, with inspiration drawn from the industrial background of the Rhondda Valleys, a scenic landscape of decadence scarred by the downfall of the mining industry. The Valleys are a complex force, both captivating and enclosing. I can't help but see it as, at once, an old friend, all I have known since birth, and also a brooding enemy, urging me to make something of my life. A local newspaper encapsulated this idea more accurately with a headline of: 'THE BEST ONES LEAVE', underlining the necessity of commute not only for the purpose of work but for all aspects of modern life. This can be compared to a story I was told as a child, of my great grandfather journeying across four valleys in search of work, not able to return until he found it.

My work explores the idea of misrepresentation, as seen through use of language, predominately influenced by being in a particular place and the tensions which give rise to this experience. With innovative use of mixed media, my assemblages question the logic and purpose of the artist and what he produces, which leads the production of work that articulates the need to escape. The work emphasises the collision and contrast of minds; a struggle breeding a level platform of generational understanding and an inclusive culture of new values, new relationships and new connections. The underlying concept of dominance presents a notion of control, one that shall re-appear in various motif formats. This involves a series of thoughtful investigations highlighting interconnectivity, with each step aiding the next. It is because of this that the exercises remain imperative to the development of the work.