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Miner-Artists:
The Art of Welsh Coal Workers
Introduction
Miner-Artists is a National Library
of Wales touring exhibition, originated and curated by John
Harvey for CSVCR. It
celebrates the work of welsh coal workers who painted, drew,
modelled, sculpted and took photographs, or in some other way took a
practical interest in visual art. Their art represents one of the
most enduring forms of working-class populist visual culture. |
| Most
miner-artists were untutored amateurs, in the best sense of that
word. Some adapted their work to illustrate political ideas,
contributing to mining magazines and newspapers drawings that
commented on their social conditions. Others, with a vital
Nonconformist faith, made images of the biblical stories, concepts,
and values that undergirded the religious culture of the coalfields.
Prominent among these are Illtyd David (1906-??), John 'Chopper'
Davies (1922), George B Evans (b. 1925), Nicholas Evans (b.1907),
Cyril Ifold (1922-86), and Robert Morgan (1921-94) |
| The exhibition
aims to present a coherent and scholarly historical account of
miner-artists, particularly in relation to Wales. To this end,
the exhibition consists of 85 paintings drawings, and
photographs from 1904-1999, accompanied by an explanatory and
illustrated publication
by John Harvey. |
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The works
illustrate the conditions associated with miners' industry and life.
(A small number of the pictures in the exhibition are viewable
on-line).
Venues
Gregynog Gallery, National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, 11 March
-- 24 April 2000
Glynn Vivian
Gallery, Swansea, 20 May -- 9 July 2000
National Museum & Gallery of Wales, Cardiff, 22 July -- 15
October 2000 |
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