Wales: The Landscape Project
MAP6
The MAP6 photography collective working in small groups explored aspects of the Welsh landscape:
• ‘The Dark Sublime’, inverting the notion of infinity and beauty within the landscape, so instead of transcendence there is uncanniness
• ‘Parallel Time’, contrasting ephemeral existence on the surface of the land with the landscape’s ability to anchor and give security below ground, with caves as a visual metaphor
• ‘Hiraeth’, documenting a community living off grid in ancient woodland that has become one with the landscape
• ‘Chapels & Quarries’, focusing on the historical landscape when Wales became the world’s first industrial nation in the 19th century.
Each group then created a zine that MAP6 published.
MAP6 gained a further member later, who responded to the zines project. ‘Battery in the Mountain’ documents a hydroelectric power station disguised within a Welsh mountain.
Hiraeth
Aaron Yeandle and Heather Shuker
With ‘Hiraeth’ (a Welsh word implying a deep longing for home), Aaron and Heather give us a glimpse into a small off-grid community maintaining its connection to the Welsh land. Photographing together, directing and lighting each other’s images, they delved into the forest, capturing the personal environment of three individuals who live in a small caravan and a wooden cabin. The three have a simplistic lifestyle with basic amenities. Their cabin is surrounded by an ethereal woodland. The occupants of this ancient woodland have become one with the landscape.
The Dark Sublime
Barry Falk, Chloe Lelliot and Rich Cutler
‘The Dark Sublime’ seeks to turn the notion of infinity and beauty within the landscape inwards: instead of transcendence the work plunges the viewer into a Gothic place of ambiguity and uncanniness, an abyss of shadows. Barry made images amidst the surrounding landscapes of the town of Denbigh, with reference to the history and memory of The North Wales Hospital & Asylum. Chloe went to abandoned slate mines, forming a dark psychological response to the landscape. Rich constructed images in the post-industrial landscape of an abandoned slate mine overlaid by the myth of the White Lady, a Welsh supernatural apparition associated with life and death, water and fire, and treasure.
Battery in the Mountain
Leia Ankers
‘Battery in the Mountain’ is a sensual and emotional reaction to the evocative landscape of Dinorwig Power station combined with the aesthetic effect of this industrial landscape, giving an intriguing insight into hydropower. This extraordinary secret is hidden under the rocky landscape of Llanberis mountain in miles of underground caverns, with deliberately little evidence in the environment of this engineering achievement.
Parallel Time
Paul Walsh and Mitch Karunaratne
Paul and Mitch travelled through Wales but in different time zones. Paul walked across the country following a lost pilgrimage route, recording his encounters above ground and focusing on surface time. Meanwhile, Mitch went underground into some of Wales deepest cave systems. Both were contemplating the continually shifting landscape and its connection to the nature of time. Paul was influenced by the ephemeral existence of things, whilst Mitch was influenced by the landscape’s ability to anchor and give security.
Chapels & Quarries
Richard Chivers and David Sterry
Richard and David took a historical view of landscape, focusing on the middle of the 19th century when Wales had become the world’s first industrial nation. It was a time of massive growth for the slate industry, which provided material for roofs across the world. Whole communities sprang up around slate mines and quarries, which dominated the landscape and the economy. Chapels provided a social and religious sanctuary from the harsh and hazardous conditions in the slate works.
10- 14 Waterloo Place
Brighton
BN2 9NB
Map
Collectives Hub - Main Gallery
4 October - 17 November
Wednesday 12:00–17:00
Thursday 12:00–17:00
Friday 12:00–17:00
Saturday 12:00–17:00
Sunday 12:00–17:00
