About
This exhibition features works from a local collection of 20th Century drawings and paintings principally by Welsh artists, depicting aspects of Industrial Wales from the work-face and workmen, to the societies which were forged by the copper, coal and iron industries. Art and Industry forms part of the celebrations to mark Glyndwr University's 125th anniversary as a centre of learning.
Except for a handful of working mines and a few museums, little remains to remind us of the years which transformed Wales into one of the first industrial nations in the world. Even less remains to remind us of the working conditions and livelihoods of the thousands who toiled in the industry to provide for their families. Yet throughout the growth, peak and decline of the mining industry in Wales, little known to most, a handful of artists were capturing one of the most significant periods in Welsh history.
The exhibition includes works by Irene Bache, M. J. Boenisch, George Chapman, Howell Davies, Ray Evans, Tony Evans, Valerie Ganz, Glyn Griffiths, Josef Herman, Malcolm Hughes, Haydn Jones, Jack Jones, Stanley Lewis, George Little, Cavendish Morton, Ifor Pritchard, Will Roberts, Lawrence Rostern and Ernest Zobole.
The drawings and paintings mostly reflect depictions of south Wales, including the former Morfa Copper Works; Ynyscedwyn Colliery near Ystradgynlais; the Rhondda valleys; Pontrhydyfen in the Afan Valley, Port Talbot; Llanhilleth Ebbw Vale and Alcan Steel Works in Rogerstone near Newport, Gwent. North Wales is represented in the exhibition by works depicting the Brymbo Steel Works and the Sion Chapel, Cefn Mawr.
