A SELECTION of the nation’s favourite artworks will soon be on show in Powys as part of an initiative to share the national art collection with communities and galleries across the country.
Around 30 pieces of art from the Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales collection will go on show at y Gaer in Brecon from next month.
As part of the Celf ar y Cyd on Tour, the pieces will go on display at the south Powys venue from Saturday, July 9, to October 30.
Celf ar y Cyd on tour follows an Instagram vote held during the Covid-19 pandemic. While National Museum Cardiff’s galleries were closed in 2020, curators from Amgueddfa Cymru selected 100 artworks and shared them digitally via the @celfarycyd Instagram account.
The public were then asked to vote for their favourites from the collection. This helped produce a shortlist of their top 30 artworks, culminating in the exhibition which is now touring galleries across Wales.
From neolithic stone carvings to the most recent contemporary art, ceramics and photography, the selection reflects the rich diversity and experience of life in Wales. Artists include Thomas Jones, Betty Woodman, Adam Buick, David Hurn, Laura Ford, Elizabeth Fritsch and many more.
Councillor David Selby, Powys County Council’s cabinet member for a more prosperous Powys, said: “We are excited to be able to bring this collection of treasures from Amgueddfa Cymru to Powys and to host this exhibition at y Gaer Museum, Art Gallery & Library, in Brecon, our new cultural hub combining the Brecknock Museum and Brecon Library in a state-of-the-art building.
“We hope visitors will enjoy the exhibition and explore the new facility.”
Dr Kath Davies, director of collections and research at Amgueddfa Cymru, said: “The national collection belongs to everyone in Wales.
“This project is a starting point in our ambition to build a new sense of ownership and collaboration, and to ensure that art works can be seen in different locations across the country on a regular basis. The public choice has resulted in a rich and varied mix of work with something for everyone to enjoy.”
Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, Dawn Bowden, added: “I’m delighted that we’ve been able to provide funding support for Celf ar y Cyd.
2It’s great news that this exhibition, which has been voted for by the public, is now making its way around Wales. This is an excellent way for more people to see the wealth and variety of artworks at Amgueddfa Cymru and for this to be shared with communities across Wales.”
Celf ar y Cyd is a group of four projects which were developed to share the visual arts across Wales at a time when museums and galleries were closed to the public. Funded by the Welsh Government, the project is a partnership between Amgueddfa Cymru and the Arts Council for Wales. As well as Celf ar y Cyd on Tour, the projects also include art in hospitals, the digital arts magazine Cynfas and series of commissions which asked Wales-based artists to use the museum’s collection to inspire new work.
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