Contextual statements for SHADED, a group exhibition of seven documentary photography projects from across South Wales — presented bilingually in English and Welsh. My contribution is Morfydd. The other six are work I'm proud to have shown alongside.
The Pontypridd Pendragons are a women's touch rugby team based in Rhondda Cynon Taf, initially established as a way for rugby union players to continue following their passion in a less strenuous method than full-contact rugby.
Pendragons practice twice a week in Pontypridd and show that there is still space for players to flourish following injuries or retirement from full-contact rugby, while making friends for life. In touch rugby, a tackle is made by touching the rugby ball, clothes or the body of the ball carrier, allowing a more inclusive experience for people of all ages and abilities while still focussing on developing fitness and skill.
Pendragons aims to show the side of the sport that does not always get seen, such as the camaraderie of friends still enjoying playing rugby. It also demonstrates the geometrical use of the space in the game and homes in on the fluidity of the players' body movements.
Yn lleol i Rondda Cynon Taf, tîm rygbi cyffwrdd i fenywod yw'r Pontypridd Pendragons, yn wreiddiol wedi dechrau fel ffordd i chwaraewyr gario ymlaen dilyn eu hangerdd mewn ffordd gyda llai straen na rygbi contact-llawn.
Mae'r Pendragons yn ymarfer dwy waith yr wythnos ym Mhontypridd ac yn dangos fod yna dal lle i chwaraewyr blodeuo yn dilyn anafiadau neu ymddeoliad o rygbi contact-llawn, gan barhau i wneud ffrindiau am fywyd. Mewn rygbi cyffwrdd, caiff tacl ei wneud gan gyffwrdd â'r bêl rygbi, dillad neu corff y person sy'n cario'r bêl, sydd yn caniatáu profiad fwy cynwysiedig i bobl o bob oedran a gallu, gan dal i ffocysu ar ddatblygu ffitrwydd a sgil.
Anelir Pendragons i ddangos ochr y gêm sydd ddim wastad yn cael ei weld, er enghraifft y cyfeillgarwch rhwng ffrindiau'n dal i joio chwarae rygbi. Mae'n arddangos y defnydd geometregol o ofod yn y gêm ac yn acenu ar hylifedd symudiadau corff y chwaraewyr.
Woven centres on a community of quilters based in Pontypridd, documenting the historical significance and stories behind a craft that holds deep cultural and personal meaning yet remains largely underappreciated. Quilts are not just pieces of fabric; they represent histories, traditions, and emotional landscapes that are Woven together over time.
The act of quilting, often passed down through generations, holds a rich narrative that encompasses family stories, regional identities, and social movements. Woven aims to capture and preserve these untold stories before they fade, acknowledging the skill, creativity, and labour involved in this timeless craft.
Photographing the people of the quilting community is equally important because these quilters, many of whom are older women, are the keepers of this art form. They embody the resilience, resourcefulness, and care that quilting represents. Barrett hopes to showcase not just the quilts themselves but the lives of those who create them — their hands, their faces, and their stories. In doing so, Woven highlights the importance of quilting as a living tradition, both honouring a craft that is equally practical and meaningful, and preserving the legacy of the people who practice it.
Canolir Woven ar gymuned o gwiltwyr wedi seilio ym Mhontypridd, gan ddogfennu arwyddocâd hanesyddol a'r straeon tu ôl i grefft sydd yn dal ystyr bersonol a diwylliannol dwfn, ond sydd dal i gael ei werthfawrogi'n gywir. Nid yw cwiltiau yn unig yn darnau o ffabrig; maen nhw'n cynrychioli hanesion, traddodiadau, a thirweddau emosiynol sy'n cael eu gweu dros amser.
Mae crefft cwiltio, yn aml wedi pasio i lawr ar draws cenedlaethau, yn dal naratif cyfoethog sy'n amgylchynnu straeon teuluol, hunaniaethau ranbarthol, a symudiadau cymdeithasol. Anelir Woven i ddal a chadw'r straeson yma cyn iddyn nhw gwywo, gan gydnabod y sgil, creadigedd, a llafur sydd yn creu'r crefft bythol yma.
Mae ffotograffu pobl y gymuned cwiltio yn gyfartal bwysig otherwydd y cwiltwyr yma, fenywod hynach ar y ran fwyaf, yw ceidwadwyr y gelfyddyd hon. Maen nhw'n ymgorffori'r gwytnwch, dyfeisgarwch, a'r gofal a gynrychiolir gan cwiltio. Gobeithir Barrett i arddangos nid yn unig y cwiltiau ond bywydau'r bobl sy'n eu creu nhw — eu dywlo, eu gwynebau, a'u straeon. Drwy hynny, mae Woven yn uwcholeuo pwysigrwydd cwiltio fel traddodiad fyw, gan anrhydeddu crefft sydd yn gyfartal bractegol ac ystyrlon, ac yn diogelu etifeddiaeth y bobl sy'n ei ymarfer.
Growing up watching his mother lose her vision slowly and seeing how she dealt with it affecting her work and life greatly changed Bentall's appreciation of the ability he has with his body. Sight Life explores the life of people experiencing visual impairment through photography and audio, showcasing the ways in this group experiences the world through other sensations such as touch and sound.
This project developed not only to spread awareness about visual impairment but also to provide an exhibition that could be enjoyed by both visually impaired and fully sighted people simultaneously. Bentall worked with the charity Sight Life, based in South Wales, as well as with individuals found through this charity to explore the many different types of vision loss and how they can affect people differently.
With Sight Life, Bentall hopes to challenge misconceptions about visual impairment but also to illustrate that although it does affect everything in someone's life, it does not define them.
Drwy tyfu i fyny gan wylio ei fam yn colli ei gweledigaeth yn araf ac yn gweld sut effaith gafodd hynny ar ei gwaith a bywyd, newidiodd gwerthfawrogiant Bentall o'r gallu corfforol sydd ganddo. Archwilir Sight Life bywydau pobl sy'n profi nam gweledol drwy ffotograffiaeth a sain, yn arddangos y ffyrdd mae'r grŵp yn profi'r byd drwy synhwyrau eraill fel cyffwrdd a chlywed.
Datblygodd y prosiect yma nid yn unig i godi ymwybyddiaeth am namau gweledol ond hefyd i ddarparu arddangosfa gall gael ei fwynhau gan bobl gyda nam gweledol neu gweledigaeth llawn ar yr un pryd. Gweithiodd Bentall gyda'r elusen Sight Life, wedi seilio yn Ne Cymru, yn ogystal ag unigolion wedi darganfod drwy'r elusen er mwyn archwilio'r sawl math gwahanol o namau gweledol a sut maen nhw'n effeithio bobl yn wahanol.
Gyda Sight Life, mae Bentall yn gobeithio herio camsyniadau o gwmpas namau gweledol ond hefyd i ddarlunio fod er yr effaith mae nam gweledol yn cael ar bopeth ym mywyd person, nid yw hi'n ei ddiffinio.
Morfydd Llwyn Owen [b. 1891 – d. 1918] remains a key cultural touchstone in the South Wales Valleys. Her music, and her life story, touches the heart of all those who encounter it. Morfydd aims to examine and evoke the traces of this Welsh icon, through a physical and psychological exploration of her birthplace, Treforest.
Questions of how to respectfully represent someone long gone, how to evoke her memory and her music through images, and how to make work that recognises the great loss of her early death are all considered in the making of this project. The work emerges as an investigation of both internal and external place, creating links between the modern Treforest, and the one through which Morfydd Llwyn Owen walked over a hundred years ago.
Mae Morfydd Llwyn Owen [g. 1891 – m. 1918] yn dal i fod yn ran allweddol o ddiwylliant Cymoedd De Cymru. Caiff ei gerddoriaeth, stori ei bywyd, effaith emosiynol ar bob person sy'n eu cyfarfod. Anelir Morfydd i astudio ac ennyn olion yr eicon Cymreig hon, drwy archwiliad ffisegol a seicolegol ei man geni, Trefforest.
Yn y prosiect yma, caiff cwestiynau eu hystyried o sut i gynrychioli'n barchus rhywun sydd wedi hen fynd, sut i ennyn ei chof a'i cherddoriaeth drwy ddelweddau, a sut i wneud gwaith sy'n cydnabod colled ei marwolaeth ifanc. Amlygir y gwaith fel archwiliad o leoliad mewnol ac allanol, gan greu cysylltiadau rhwng y Trefforest fodern, a'r un a gerddodd Morfydd Llwyn Owen drwyddi dros gan mlynedd yn ôl.
Circus Kids depicts a group of young children who are learning circus skills with Citrus Arts, a group in Pontypridd, a town and close community in the Rhondda Valley. Circus skills promote development of physical literacy and socialisation, key skills which should be encouraged from a young age. Elani immersed herself in the club throughout this photo project to understand and explore its importance.
According to the Public Service Union, funding cuts have led to the closure of more than two-thirds of council-run youth centres in England and Wales since 2010. These cuts to youth centre funding mean that many communities now have to finance and support havens like these themselves. These are vital safe spaces that encourage and nurture, firing young minds and sparking untapped creativity.
Citrus Arts' practices include circus, dance, and physical theatre as a model for artistic exploration, responsibility, and creative learning. Images on display hint at this aspect through portraits of children in the landscape wearing lampshades, a reference to Morfydd Llwyn Owen's penchant for wearing these as part of her inimitable bohemian style. The accompanying publication shows the children enjoying taking part in their regular circus practice.
Darlunir Circus Kids grŵp o blant ifanc sydd yn dysgu sgiliau syrcas gyda Citrus Arts, grŵp ym Mhontypridd, tref a chymuned agos yng Nghwm Rhondda. Mae sgiliau syrcas yn hyrwyddo datblygiad llythrennedd ffisegol a chymdeithasu, sgiliau allweddol a ddylai gael eu hannog o oedran ifanc. Ymgollodd Elani ei hunan yn y clwb drwy gydol y brosiect hon er mwyn deall ac archwilio ei bwysigrwydd.
Yn ôl yr Undeb Gwasanaeth Cyhoeddus, mae toriadau cyllid wedi arwain i ddeuparth y ganolfannau ieuenctid yn Lloegr a Chymru i gau ers 2010. Golygir y toriadau yma fod rhaid i sawl gymuned gyllido a chefnogi'r grwpiau yma eu hunain. Dyma gofodau diogel i annog a meithrin, gan tanio meddyliau ifanc a sbarcio creadigedd.
Cynhwysir ymarferion Citrus Arts syrcas, dawns, a theatr ffisegol fel model o archwiliad artistig, cyfrifoldeb, a dysgu creadigol. Awgrymir delweddau at agweddau o hyn drwy portreadau o blant yn gwisgo cysgodau lamp, cyfeiriant at gariad Morfydd Llwyn Owen am wisgo rhein fel ran o'i ffasiwn bohemaidd anefelychadwy. Mae'r cyhoeddiad sy'n cyd-fynd yn dangos plant yn cymeryd rhan yn eu hymarfer syrcas arferol.
Clay Made encourages appreciation for the deep love and time that goes into making ceramic items. From a block of clay to the pottery wheel and then decoration, not forgetting many steps in-between, the process is not easy and should be celebrated each time.
Creating ceramics is a practice dating back to ancient Egypt, diversifying through millennia of different cultures. Often, when using mugs, bowls and other kitchenware, we do not consider the artists who design and make these, and the attention and care they pour into their practice. Most women only began receiving credit for their work in ceramics in the early twentieth century when art school education was made available to both men and women. Because of historical imbalances in representation, many brilliant but forgotten women who worked before the modern period poured their love into hand making items without receiving praise for their craft.
Clay Made focusses on Rosalyn Chicken from Coop Ceramics and details the various stages of creating her pieces. Some are everyday ceramicware, but others form her passion project, inspired by art deco. Clay Made aims to encourage the viewer to think about the process and love that goes into the craft that is not always thought about through showcasing details such as individual tools, the blue-green colour palette, the artist's joy in creating, and finished pieces.
Clay Made yn annog gwerthfawrogiant am y cariad dwfn a'r amser sydd yn mynd i fewn i greu grochenwaith. O floc o glai i'r troadur i'r addurno, heb anghofio llawer o gamau rhyngddynt, nid yw'r proses yn hawdd a ddylai gael ei ddathlu bob tro.
Mae creu crochenwaith yn ymarfer sydd yn dyddio i'r Aifft cynfrodorol, wedi amrywiaethu drwy miloedd o flynyddoedd o ddiwylliannau gwahanol. Yn aml, tra'n defnyddio mygiau, bowlenni ac offer cegin eraill, dydyn ni ddim yn ystyried yr artistiaid sydd yn eu dylunio a'u creu, a'r pwyll a'r sylw maen nhw'n cysegru i eu hymarfer. Dechreuodd y rhan fwyaf o fenywod derbyn clod am eu gwaith cerameg yn yr ugeinfed ganrif gynnar pan ddaeth addysg gelf yn agored i fenywod ac i ddynion. Oherwydd anghyfartaleddau hanesyddol yng nghynrychiolaeth, ni gafodd llawer o menywod awenog unrhyw cydnabyddiaeth am eu crefft.
Ffocysir Clay Made ar Rosalyn Chicken o Coop Ceramics ac yn manylu'r sawl cam o greu ei weithiau. Mae rhai yn grochenwaith bob-dydd, ac mae eraill yn ffurfio ei prosiect angerdd, wedi ysbrydoli gan art deco. Anelir Clay Made i annog y gwyliwr i ystyried y broses a'r cariad sydd yn mynd i fewn i'r crefft, gan arddangos manylion fel offer, y palet liw gwyrdd-las, boddhad yr artist tra'n creu, a gweithiau sydd wedi gorffen.
Throughout this project, Barrett has collaborated closely with Cambria Archers to explore the deep sense of community that thrives within archery clubs. While often perceived as a quiet, individual sport, archery is, in reality, a profoundly social activity that fosters connection and mutual support. This project highlights the evolution from Cambria Bowmen to Cambria Archers, celebrating the club's transformation and commitment to inclusivity. By showcasing this transition, the work emphasises the shared spirit and welcoming culture that make archery a sport for everyone.
Through his images, Barrett aims to capture the tension which is involved in archery and the release of that tension, much like the draw and release of a bowstring. The sport can be intense and focussed, but the camaraderie and support among members creates a sense of ease and belonging. Through these visuals, Barrett showcases how the club environment helps to balance the intensity of the sport with the relief and almost meditative feeling that comes when practising archery with such supportive people.
Drwy gydol y prosiect hwn, mae Barrett wedi cydweithio'n agos gyda Cambria Archers i arcwhilio'r synnwyr dwfn o gymuned sydd yn ffynnu mewn clybiau saethyddiaeth. Er ei fod yn cael ei weld fel ymarfer tawel ac unigol, mae saethyddiaeth yn weithgaredd cymdeithasol sydd yn annog perthnasau a chydgefnogaeth. Mae'r prosiect hwn yn uwcholeuo esblygiad clwb Cambria Bowmen i Cambria Archers, gan ddathlu trawsffurfiad y clwb a'i hymrwymiad i gynwysoldeb. Drwy arddangos y trawsnewidiad hon, mae'r gwaith yn pwysleisio'r ysbryd cyffredin a diwylliant croesawgar sydd yn gwneud saethyddiaeth yn weithgaredd i bawb.
Drwy ei ddelweddau, anelir Barrett i ddangos y tensiwn sydd yn ran o saethyddiaeth, a rhyddhad y tensiwn yma, yn debyg i dynnu a ryddhau llinyn bwa. Gall y weithgaredd fod yn ddwys, ond mae'r cyfeillgarwch a chefnogaeth rhwng aelodau yn creu teimlad o gysurdeb. Drwy'r agweddau gweledol yma, mae Barrett yn arddangos sut mae amgylchedd y clwb yn cydbwyso anhawster y weithgaredd gyda'r ryddhad a'r teimlad myfyriol sydd yn dod drwy ymarfer saethyddiaeth gyda phobl cefnogol.