Vessel: an art trail in remote rural churches
Vessel is a curated art trail in remote rural churches near the Black Mountains between Usk and Hay-on-Wye. Seven artworks by seven artists will be shown in seven churches, six of which are maintained by the Friends of Friendless Churches who keep them open all year round. The theme of ‘vessel’ references bodies, boats, secretions and receptacles; each of the artworks will be sited in a particular relationship to the church and its materials.
The exhibition will be open from early August 2024 to late October, ensuring the optimum season for visitors to the churches. It will create a memorable and unique placement of art within a conjunction of landscape and architecture that is often overlooked. It will bring artists of international reputation to an area of outstanding natural beauty.
Exhibition dates: 8 August – 31 October 2024
Venues include:
St Michael and All Angels', Gwernesney
St Cadoc, Llangattock Vibon Avel, Monmouthshire
St Mary the Virgin, Llanfair Kilgeddin, Monmouthshire
St Jerome, Llangwm Uchaf, Monmouthshire
St David, Llangeview, Monmouthshire
Castle Chapel, Urishay, Herefordshire
Dore Abbey, Herefordshire
Artists:
Lou Baker
Barbara Beyer
Andrew Bick
Lucy Glendinning
Robert George
Jane Sheppard
Steinnun Thorarinsdottir
An weekend event based in Abergavenny will include a guided tour to all of the churches. Visit our Events page to find out more.
Vessel is curated by Jacquiline Creswell for A+C.
Since 2009-2022 Jacquiline has been central to the development of visual arts programmes at Salisbury and Chichester among other Cathedrals. Now she is a freelance Visual Art Advisor and is engaged as the Consultant Curator for the Association of English Cathedrals. She is also a Trustee and Project Curator of A+C and Director and Curator for WAC.
Over the past 16 years Jacquiline has delivered over 58 exhibitions, working with a diverse group of artists, galleries, foundations and estates. These include Antony Gormley, Lemn Sissay, Mark Wallinger, David Mach and Ana Maria Pacheco, galleries such as The Lisson, Osborne Samuel, Hauser&Wirth and the estates of Henry Moore, Lynn Chadwick, Barbara Hepworth and others. She has developed lasting relationships with many of the leading figures in the contemporary art world whose dedication and support has been crucial to the success of the many projects delivered. www.visualartsadvisor.org
Our Community Coordinator for Vessel is Julia Porter Pryce.
Julia a freelance curator based in Hay-on-Wye with 25 years’ experience of working with art in sacred spaces. After 15 years in museum management, she worked as an Anglican priest in Hackney where she ran a programme of residencies and community arts projects. For 10 years she co-ordinated creative arts engagement in the Diocese of London. She has been a member of the St Paul’s Cathedral Visual Arts Committee and an Advisor to Art and Christianity. Julia has been based in the Black Mountains for three years.
Julia is passionate about connecting artists with places of worship as a means of interpreting faith traditions and at the same time making art accessible to new audiences.
Vessel is kindly supported by the Gibbs Trust and the Morel Trust.
Image: Lucy Glendinning, White Hart, at St Jerome, Llangwm Uchaf, Monmouthshire
Welsh translation:
Vessel: llwybr celf mewn eglwysi gwledig anghysbell
Wedi’i guradu gan Jacquiline Creswell ar gyfer Art and Christianity.
Mae 'Vessel' yn llwybr celf wedi'i guradu mewn eglwysi gwledig anghysbell ger y Mynyddoedd Du rhwng Brynbuga a'r Gelli Gandryll. Bydd saith gwaith celf gan saith artist yn cael eu dangos mewn saith eglwys, chwech ohonynt yn cael eu cynnal gan Friends of Friendless Churches sy'n eu cadw ar agor trwy'r flwyddyn. Mae thema 'Vessel' yn cyfeirio at gyrff, cychod, secretiadau a derbynyddion; bydd pob un o'r gweithiau celf wedi'i leoli mewn perthynas benodol â'r eglwys a'i diwylliant materol.
Bydd 'Vessel' yn creu gosodiad cofiadwy ac unigryw o gelf o fewn cyd-destun o dirwedd a phensaernïaeth sy'n aml yn cael ei hanwybyddu ac yn dod ag artistiaid o fri rhyngwladol i ardal o harddwch naturiol eithriadol.
Yr artistiaid sy'n cymryd rhan yw: Lou Baker, Barbara Beyer, Andrew Bick, Robert George, Lucy Glendinning, Jane Sheppard, Steinunn Thórarinsdóttir.
Mae traethawd gan Jacquiline Creswell, curadur 'Vessel', ar gael ar ein gwefan yn artandchristianity.org/vessel.
Mae ‘Vessel’ yn cael ei gefnogi'n garedig gan Friends of Friendless Churches, y Gibbs Trust, a'r Morel Trust.