EXHIBITIONS TO DISCOVER
Check out these impressive displays of fine art and objects from the past
PENRHYN CASTLE
This year Penrhyn Castle will be sharing its role in the development of the slate industry, hand in hand with the castle’s links to colonialism through two emotive exhibitions.
What a World! | Beth yn y Byd! is looking at some of the objects in Penrhyn Castle that connect it to the transatlantic slave trade and its colonial history. It’s a creative approach where local school children have worked with poets to create poems in response to the objects. These pieces bring the story of the castle’s links with the sugar plantations in Jamaica into the heart of the castle and its grand rooms.
Beyond Penrhyn | Tu Hwnt i’r Castell looks at placing Penrhyn Castle in the context of its local landscape and history. It’s part of an ongoing project with a special focus on the local quarry that was owned by the Pennant family, and the slate industry and disputes they were involved in – primarily the Great Penrhyn Quarry Strike 1900–1903.
NEWTON HOUSE, DINEFWR
Dinefwr’s programme of exhibitions takes inspiration from Newton House, a Grade II* listed mansion, and its collections as well as the wider Dinefwr estate. The exhibitions reveal many objects which have been tucked away in storage for over 30 years.
Unlocked: 125 Objects is an exhibition unveiling a curated selection of treasures from the stores and collections at Dinefwr, from Roman times through to ©NationalTrust/ the 20th century.
Andrew Butler The Archaeology of Home exhibition gives a glimpse into the building materials and decorative techniques used at Newton House since it was built in the mid-17th century. From the original construction to the alterations that occupants have made, we can learn much about Newton House from the materials that are left behind.
Y Cabinet is a unique space in which to feature the work of contemporary Welsh craftspeople, artists and designers. The current exhibition features Llandeilo-based master woodcarver Dafydd Owain Hughes, and includes hand carved samples from his studio. Dafydd specialises in the restoration of 18th century gilt wood furniture, mirrors, fire surrounds, and pastiches of tables and mirrors. In the mid-2000s, Dafydd (with his father Emyr) created two ornate replica chimneypieces for Newton House.