Barbara Beyer LG is exhibiting work on an art trail in remote rural churches near the Black Mountains, Wales.
Vessel
8 Aug to 31 October
curated by Jacquiline Creswell for A+C
Press release
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 until 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.
Barbara Beyer’s sculptures are at St Cadock Llanggatock Vibon Abel, NP25 5NG in and around the church.
Extract from Jacquiline Creswells essay about the trail on Beyer’s work: “Maritime vessels are also used as a metaphor for the church, the word ‘nave’ deriving from the Latin – navis – for ship. In this sense, the whole church is called to be a vessel of God’s love and grace, and to carry these gifts into the world. Barbara Beyer translates these ideas through her boat forms. Wiela, created from adobe clay, recycled wood and roof slates, are seemingly sturdy vessels with bare prominent cracks suggesting that they are also vulnerable to the elements despite the protective shelter of the slate roof tiles which offer sanctuary. The vessels are moored in the quiet churchyard of St Cadoc, Llangattock Vibon Avel. Possibilities explores the vessel in a traditional format as a container to hold a substance: seven distorted and deformed ceramic containers echo the moment of a miracle where a chalice was dropped but no wine was spilled. They retain the stain of the spilled wine, evoking a sense of misadventure and loss, but equivocally bring to mind that changed shapes are not lost just reimagined.” Jacquiline Creswell.
The other artists involved are: Lou Baker, Andrew Bick, Lucy Glendinning, Robert George, Jane Sheppard and Steinnun Thorarinsdottir
