Sonder – Llandrillo BA(Hons) Photography Show

11th May 2023 - 31st May 2023

BA(Hons) Photography Final Show 2023 - Llandrillo College

Each year, Oriel Colwyn takes the opportunity to support and showcase the final show group exhibitions from students completing Llandrillo College's FdA and BA(Hons) Photography courses.

*** This year's BA(Hons) Final Show opens on the evening of Thursday 11th May - please come and meet the photographers between 6pm-9pm, FREE, everyone welcome! ***

The show then continues on in the gallery space until 31st May. 

Introducing you to their work: SONDER features work from 6 students:

Anthony Harrison

•  Displacement
  A chance meeting on Colwyn Bay beach on July 5th , 2022, became a catalyst for a collaboration that developed into this body of work, it was the moment I met Kseniia Fedorovykh, a Ukrainian refugee who just days before had arrived at a Welcome Centre in Bangor following a treacherous journey fleeing the war in her homeland. From this initial contact, we communicated over the next few weeks, I was surprised by her enthusiasm to pursue the concept, discovering that she was a dancer and choreographer and wanted to seize the opportunity to give herself a voice to express her emotions.

  As an artist, my aim is to capture the powerful emotional impact that dance can have as a medium of expression. Through this piece, I hope to bring attention to the struggles of refugees who have had to flee their homes due to war and conflict.

  The photographs I have captured document the raw and powerful emotions that can come from using movement to express complex feelings. The subject of the photographs is a Ukrainian woman who uses her movement to express her sadness, fear, and longing for her family that is still in Ukraine.

  Each location that we chose for the photographs represents a different aspect of the experience of being a refugee. In one of the photographs, the subject is standing amidst an abandoned industrial building, highlighting the sense of isolation and loneliness that comes with being a stranger in a foreign land. In other photographs, she is posing amidst breath-taking natural scenery, which serves as a reminder of the beauty that exists in the world despite the pain and suffering caused by war.

  The photos are not just aesthetically pleasing, but possess a deeper meaning that encourages the viewer to reflect on the harsh realities of the world we live in. As an artist, I hope my work inspires a sense of empathy and solidarity with people who have been forced to leave their homes due to war and conflict.

Thomas Wyn Jones

• As a photographer, my work is focused on documenting the effects of economic decline in Anglesey, a small island off the coast of Wales. Through my lens, I aim to capture the complex social and economic challenges facing this community, and to bear witness to the human impact of these changes.

  My images capture the abandoned factories, crumbling buildings, and empty storefronts that serve as symbols of a once-thriving economy that has fallen on hard times. But my work is not just about decay and loss - it is also about resilience and the power of community to come together in the face of adversity.

  By bringing attention to these issues through my photography, I hope to spark conversation and inspire action towards a more just and equitable future for all. I believe that art can serve as a powerful tool for social change, and I am committed to using my skills to tell the stories that need to be told, and to create a space for reflection and dialogue around issues that are often overlooked or ignored.

  Through my work, I hope to challenge viewers to consider their own role in shaping the world around them, and to recognize the interconnectedness of all communities, both local and global. "

Sophie Beddow

• Them

  The world is ever changing and with it, fashion must adapt and grow with the changes. Gender and identity politics have come to the forefront of societal issues in call of equality and justice for those in the LGBTQ+ community whom have long been overlooked. Fashion has reflected this through many favoured publications.

  Them takes a look at these ideologies from a fashion point of view, separating gender and identity through clothing. In two of the photographs, the model is obscured. This allows for no judgment to be passed on said model’s gender. While the remaining images offer a view of each models face. While one can make judgments upon the person’s gender - even on a subconscious level- it is still impossible to tell how one identifies themselves through a single image.

  The photographs on display are a part of an on-going project. If you would like to take part [provided you visit on the 11th of May] grab an item of clothing from one of the mannequins, take your place in front of the backdrop and have your photo taken.

Connor Williams

• The image of any god in our own likeness is what in marketing parlance may be referred to as personification - or to put it another way, we make our gods in our own likeness. The gym has become the sanctuary of sacrificial offerings where no pain, no gain, is the mantra that drives us towards a nirvana of honed physical perfection.

  As a documentary photographer, I have captured the creation of a God Complex in a modern bodybuilder, which compared to ancient gods and deities from the past, share many similarities.

Kev Curtis

• Breaking the fourth wall

  A celebration of the independent and alternative entertainment scene in North Wales.

  From October 2022 to March 2023 I set out to capture various independent artists in order to highlight the incredible diversity of talent that exists away from the limelight of the larger commercial venues in the region.  This six month window of activity features artists such as magicians, circus performers, burlesque, showgirl and cabaret performers, vertical dancers, the Rhyl Comedy Club, various am dram groups, the late Chris Somerville from the Harlequin Puppet Theatre, and Sam the Llandudno Monkey Man, amongst many others.

  Despite the limited resources and funding at their disposal, they all operate with the same degree of passion, drive, and energy as their more financially successful counterparts on the professional showbiz circuit.  Beyond the gaze of mainstream public awareness, this is my attempt to give this niche corner of the industry a voice and a share of the spotlight which so often can be fleeting.  To supplement the framed pictures on the walls, there is also a large photobook to flick through that contains extra photographs and personal statements from many of the performers.

  Originally from England, I have been living in Colwyn Bay since 2011.  This academic year sees the culmination of four years of study at Llandrillo College: three years to achieve a distinction in a foundation degree in photography, with an add-on year to convert it to an honours degree.  Having been a musician for 40+ years (I used to compose music for TV programmes and I'm now currently the bassist in Pinc Ffloyd, a Pink Floyd tribute band), it is unsurprising that I have gravitated toward the sphere of live entertainment; the focus being on capturing the drama, atmosphere, and excitement of live performance.

Hari Cenin Roberts

• My true interest in photography centres on the peculiarity of transfer that exists between the real, and the rendering of the real in two dimensions. To ignore the nature of the object in its true physicality, and focus instead on its potential as a representation that loses connection to its volume, whilst at the same time gaining something else in its re-invention.

  It’s the gain that fascinates me, how something is still recognisable for what it is, but now brings something else to the table for our consideration. To put it another way - to photograph something in a way that reveals more than what I was confronted with at the scene itself.