Two Cardiff Met graduates are celebrating after being recognised for their creative art pieces and being presented with prestigious awards.
Jason Gregory, current Cardiff Art of School and Design (CSAD) Graduate Incubation Unit, was the joint winner of the BEEP Printing prize, which is a contemporary painting prize that brings in artists from all over the world and supports imaginative and vibrant practice in contemporary painting. BEEP is the Bi-annual Exhibition of Painting based in Swansea and supported by the Arts Council of Wales.
The second Cardiff Met graduate to win an award was Gweni Llwyd who won the Eisteddfod’s Young Artist Scholarship. Gweni, who graduated in Fine Arts from Cardiff Met and is a current CSAD Artist Benevolent Fund Step Change Fellow, was awarded the scholarship for her moving image work that explored ideas around the everyday, the sensory and the absurd.
[aoa id=”1″]
The £1,500 scholarship was presented to Gweni on the opening day of the festival at Y Lle Celf, the Eisteddfod’s art exhibition and will enable her to continue her studies at a recognised art school or college, or to attend masterclasses. As well as having her work displayed at this year’s Lle Celf, Gweni will also be invited to exhibit at the Conwy County National Eisteddfod next year.
Speaking about her win, Gweni Llwyd said: “I am thrilled to have won the Young Artist Scholarship at the National Eisteddfod this year, it’s really exciting to have been selected for such a prestigious prize and have my work on show at Y Lle Celf in the Senedd.
[/aoa]
“I submitted five short video pieces titled ‘Dwylo Blewog’, ‘Gro Chwipio’, ‘Artecs’, ‘Llwch’ and ‘O.S.B.’. These works grew from my interest in how everyday tactile materials and digital matter can be embedded with social, sensory, sexual and cultural meanings.
“Using open online archives, my own clips and videos, GIFs and sounds, I collaged and curated different snippets of digital matter together, responding to both physical and digital space, attempting to explore and create abstracted narratives that contrast the everyday and the absurd.
“It is an honour to be recognised for my artistic work and I hope to use the £1,500 scholarship towards a Master’s degree specialising in Moving Image, in either London or Germany.”
In addition to the two significant wins, former Cardiff Met CSAD student and a valued member of our community, Zoe Preece, stunned judges with her ‘Uncanncy’ porcelain and wooden table from her collection ‘Material Presence’ and took home the Gold Medal for Craft & Design. Zoe’s art piece was produced at Cardiff Met’s FabLab and was described as ‘magical, exquisitely made and immediately recognisable’ by the judges, who made a unanimous decision to award the full monetary prize to Zoe.
Zoe also took home the Contemporary Art Society for Wales Purchase Prize, which means her work will now be bought by the National Museum Wales and added to their collection.
Speaking about the Cardiff Met wins, Professor Olwen Moseley, Dean of Cardiff School of Art and Design, said:
“It is wonderful that two Cardiff Met CSAD graduates and alumni have been recognised for their creative talents at the Eisteddfod and took home significant prizes.
“At CSAD, we strongly believe in helping our students reach their full potential and develop their talents, so they can discover their unique practice, particularly in the innovative use of technology that is evident in the inspiring pieces seen in the show.
“Both Jason and Gweni have remained with us post-graduation, benefitting from the support and facilities we’ve been able to offer, were delighted in their well-deserved success.”
