Aberystwyth Arts Centre
Sat 1 Apr – Sat 20 May
Photographer James Morris was born in Griffithstown, Pontypool but moved away as a young boy. After leaving, he journeyed to Wales many times for holidays and visits to tourist destinations. Once he grew older, he kept returning to the places he had visited as a boy as he found Welsh landscapes fascinating and contradictory.
For the inhabitants of Welsh villages and towns the landscapes represented a rich history, one that had been marked and defined by the mining of coal and steel; yet, come summer, it would be transformed as tourists flocked to the coast and valleys. This led to two very distinct and different impressions of the land. These two conflicting perceptions led to Morris’ critically acclaimed 2011 exhibition A Landscape of Wales.
This latest exhibition, For the People, seems a clear extension and development of these ideas. Moving away from how the industry has impacted the natural landscape, this exhibition captures the impact of manmade additions to the landscape. It examines how innovative and distinctive architecture, such as Cardigan Castle’s contemporary new visitor centre and the striking National Sailing Academy in Pwllheli, affects the community experience of a place, and consequently the effect this has on general well-being.
This thought-provoking collection of images captures the feeling of Welsh communities and ultimately asks: what is good architecture?
Admission: Free. Info: 019 7062 3232 / www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk