LAURA FORD: SQUATTERS
Castell Coch, Tongwynlais, nr Cardiff
Until Mon 6 May
Laura Ford’s new exhibit aims to take its medieval setting and reimagine it for a smorgasbord of anthropomorphic invaders, hence the name Squatters. This exhibit will debut a series of 20 different works from the artist, all of which will be on show inside the castle itself. Sculptures the size of small children will be strewn about different areas of the castle, acting as if they were really there and frozen in the moment. Expect to spend some of the time trying to actually spot the sculptures.
Despite a focus on imitating human movement, you shouldn’t expect to see anything too human in the exhibition – parrot-children and monkeys are the squatters of choice here. This is seemingly an attempt to combine the storied background of the site with something completely out of Ford’s own imagination, merging together the past with a fictional present of her making.
Laura Ford’s previous work with sculptures shows her ability to merge the otherworldly with the mundane, creating a suitably bizarre atmosphere. With the gothic history of Castell Coch as a host and inspiration to her artwork, Ford’s work here should hopefully be at its most imaginative, and possibly at its very best.
Admission: £4.10-£6.90 (inc. entry to Castell Coch). Info: www.gallery-ten.co.uk
words George Foster