We are pleased to announce that we have awarded two grants this year to fund two very different artists’ further projects. The artists are Ted Harrison and Gili Lavy.
TED HARRISON
For 20 years, Ted worked as producer, presenter, director and correspondent for the BBC. He’s also an author of many books. Ted’s diverse art works includes sculptures at two London hospitals, Guy’s and St Thomas’s. In 2011, he created an installation to go under St Paul’s Cathedral made out of 1000s of poppies highlighting that children are forced to train as soldiers fighting adult wars.
Proposed Wall Sculpture in collaboration with The Responsa Foundation.
‘From Persecution to Celebration’
Site: The Old School in Tregaron, Ceredigion, Wales, known as The Red Kite Centre and Heritage Museum.
Ted’s wall sculpture connects past history with the present regarding how we navigate difference. It celebrates the resilience of the Welsh language in the face of persecution. We particularly connected with this project’s focus on the catastrophic practise of ‘policing’ language as an act of oppression, one which still takes place in various parts of the world today. The impacts of this are complex and multi-layered. We are very keen to support further projects exploring this subject.
Ted writes:
‘Welsh is an ancient poetic tongue that’s survived official attempts to stamp it out. The language was systematically stigmatised. Children were flogged for speaking Welsh at school, based on the belief that the Welsh language was the cause of ‘stupidity, sexual promiscuity and unruly behaviour’.
Yet, amazingly Welsh now flourishes as one of Wales’s official languages. I am one of many hundreds of Welsh language learners and my wall sculpture for the outside of the old Tregaron school in the heart of Wales is a celebration of the renaissance of language and culture.
The old Tregaron school building is now a local heritage centre celebrating the traditional culture and way of life. It also tells the story of how the red kite, was saved from local extinction after years of persecution, drawing parallels between the resurgence of these birds and the Welsh language.
For further information on all of Ted’s work please visit his website: www.tedharrison.co.uk
Preparatory Work:
The sculpture will combine the symbolism of the Welsh Dragon and the dove motif of St David, the nation’s patron saint. The work begins with many drawings of red kites in action, flying, hovering, swooping etc, honed and finalised. It is hoped that the work will be completed August 2021.
