An unusual exhibition is on display at Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
The Picturemakers – visual artists who live and work in mid Wales – describe it as unusual as it comprises individual work on the subject of boundaries, and a frieze made by 11 members, as well as several four metre-long banners in the windows of the café made by four members.
“This boundaries project has proved both evocative and provocative,” a group spokesperson said, “allowing varied interpretations of the subject by all the members. We discussed, brainstormed, made mind-maps or lists and found the poem entitled ’Borders’ by Alberto Rios, all of which opened our minds to the many possible interpretations of the theme of this exhibition and allowed us to start experimenting with our own ideas of boundaries for an exhibition in 2023 at the Courtyard in Hereford; a small proportion of which is exhibited now at Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
“Eleven members of the group collaborated in producing the 11 metre long frieze. Each artist was given an identical-sized board, to be lined up and displayed horizontally. Running through the boards is a continuous drawn line representing a boundary. We chose to use a line that was based on a small portion of Offa’s Dyke, which historically formed a substantial boundary between England and Wales but today emerges then disappears along the ridge. Each participating member was allocated a section of the relevant Ordnance Survey map as a starting point. It was up to us individually to interpret and represent our section as abstractly or as figuratively as we liked, but to be continually responsive to the work on either side of our own panel. As such, the project was as much a social as a graphic experiment that resulted in the frieze displayed.”
‘Boundaries’ in the arts centre café continues until 2 February.
The banners in the window of the cafe (Picture supplied)