'MEWNrhwng’ is a multidisciplinary exhibition that presses on the notion of transition, the departures, and the crossing over of a physical, metaphorical and psychological state. It is the in-between moments of here or there, now or then, them or us, reflecting on the surroundings and connections of place, longing, grief and boundaries.
As a collaboration between four female artists Gemma Lowe (painter, based in Chester), Najia Bagi (musician/performer, based in Oxford), Jenny Cashmore (multidisciplinary artist, based on the English/Welsh border) and Rebecca F. Hardy (sculpture, installation, based in Bethesda), the exhibition will tour to various art spaces around Wales. Each artist’s work has similar undertones but diverse approaches to narratives and storytelling.
‘MEWNrhwng’ is an open-ended and organic collaboration that will transcend and grow over the period of the project between painting, playful installations, careful and thought out placements of sculptures and projections to live performance and participatory recordings and site-specific movements. This project will allow the artists to explore and test new boundaries within their practices and collaborate with each other and the wider community.
Working in the current climate of binary states (Brexit, Climate change, fake news and statuses on social media) to allow space for the in-between. It will address issues of belonging, transition, grief, boundaries, language, and cultural identity and provide opportunities for raising awareness and discussion in contemporary topics.
The experience will allow us to learn from each other's practices, make new work that crosses disciplinary boundaries, and develop new networks. Broadening these questions to the wider community both within the creative sphere and the general public.
The collaboration will be recorded through this blog and via the projects Instagram account @mewnrhwng. The project has also successfully accepted a small production grant from the Art Council of Wales and the support of Oriel CARN, Caernarfon and Elysium Gallery, Swansea.