CRiC Gallery, Crickhowell
Fri 26 May – Fri 23 June
Beasts of the Mabinogion is a collection of Welsh tales from long ago which combines history, tradition and legend. The tales have been passed on through a largely oral tradition which has created a rich heritage and has proven inspiration to artists across the ages.
One such artist is Helly Powell who has used her unique skills as a textile artist to create life size ‘fauxidermy’ sculptures out of cloth, which realise her interpretation of what the beasts of the Mabinogion may look like if they came to life.
The sculptures are made using fabrics woven at the restored 17th century Welsh Mill, Melin Tregwynt. Long ago, local farmers would bring their fleeces to be spun into yarn and woven into sturdy wool blankets, and now the Mill produces blankets, cushions and accessories, all in their own unique fabrics.
Eifion Griffiths from Melin Tregwynt said: “Helly’s work appears so life-like that each animal could have just stepped out of the Welsh landscape. This combined with the subtle mix of selected fabrics she has used gives each piece a magical quality.”
This is true as earthy tones allow the creatures to appear almost camouflaged in nature but their size and majestic qualities draw them back into the forefront to captivate the attention and imagination of the audience.
The project has been funded by the Welsh Government’s Tourism Innovation Fund; Helly hopes that her exhibition will encourage others to “explore the Welsh landscape with the eyes of our ancestors” and see the Welsh countryside in a different light.
Reflecting on her research which inspired the pieces, Helly said: “As possibly the earliest writings they are based around tales of love, betrayal and conquest with the native animals playing a cameo role – often sitting on the boundaries of reality and other worlds.”
Suitable for both children and adults alike, the pieces are evocative of a different time and create a feeling of recognising parts of your own personal childhood in the creatures, and the Welsh landscape they represent, whilst understanding that they exist in the imagination of many others.
Admission: free. Info: www.fauxidermy.co.uk
words ELOUISE HOBBS