Art’s place in society explored by Swansea venues

Swansea’s Glynn Vivian Art Gallery and city centre not-for-profit initiative GS Artists are working together on a new project.

The multifaceted collaboration – Art Society, Swansea College of Art: Artists from the Collection – looks at the place of art at the centre of a healthy functioning society, including art schools.

University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s Swansea College of Art has long been a core part of the art scene in Swansea.

Its relationship with galleries has seen employment, shared resources and the exhibiting of work by students and lecturers.

The art college’s first director – William Grant Murray (1877-1950) – was also the first curator of Glynn Vivian.

The new joint exhibitions at Glynn Vivian and at GS Artists aim to celebrate the past, present and future contexts of art education.

The GS Artists exhibition celebrates Swansea College of Art’s archive.

It includes photographs from Swansea photographer Colin Riddle. There are images and material from the college’s archive as well as from lecturers and past students. There are video and audio recordings highlighting recollections of the art college.

At Glynn Vivian, there’s a display of art from the gallery’s permanent collection with links to college of art alumni and lecturers. It includes works from Irene Bache, Glenys Cour, James Henry Govier, Alfred Janes, Ceri Richards, Jane Phillips and Will Roberts.

There’s a chance for visitors to add their own memories or thoughts to the exhibition.

An Art Society Assembly day on October 27 – at the Glynn Vivian, GS Artists and other venues – will feature recorded interviews with artists from across the UK. The event will celebrate creativity, the art college and the role of art education in society.

The project – supported by UWTSD’s Swansea College of Art – runs until November 6.

It belongs to a series of exhibitions across Swansea, celebrating 200 years of UWTSD. Venues include The Mission Gallery, Elysium Gallery and Stiwdio Griffiths at the college of art’s Dynevor Campus.

(Lead image: Swansea Council)