Welsh Ministers honour young artists
16/06/2005
Two final-year Art students from the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC) have won the honour of exhibiting their work at the Welsh Assembly Government offices of the First Minister Rhodri Morgan and the Minister for Culture, the Welsh Language and Sport, Alun Pugh.
Alun Pugh selected the winning artwork for the annual Assembly Prize Awards from the UWIC Art and Design Degree Shows 2005, which run until June 17 at the Llandaff and Howard Gardens Campuses, as part of the Cardiff Design Festival 2005.
The work will be displayed with an accompanying plaque at the ministers’ offices for a year, before being returned to the students.
Left to right) Lowri Fretwell, Amanda Crump, Minister for Culture, the Welsh Language and Sport Alun Pugh and Stephen Bourke, with the students' winning artwork at the UWIC Art and Design Degree Shows 2005. Photo: Roger Donovan.
The First Minister’s Award was won by BA (Hons) Ceramics student Stephen Bourke, aged 30, from Howard Gardens, Cardiff, for his colourful and functional ceramic jugs.
Stephen’s personal life story makes his achievement of winning this award and his impending degree graduation from UWIC in July even more remarkable.
After leaving the Army in 1995, Stephen battled with the problems of homelessness on the streets of London and addiction to drugs and alcohol, before seeking help through rehabilitation and the Salvation Army. It was during this time that his interest in art was developed.
He successfully completed an Access course in Swindon in 2002, winning a student learning achievement award from the Learning Skills Council Wiltshire and Swindon, before embarking on his degree at UWIC in September of the same year.
Stephen Bourke
Stephen, who is originally from the Manchester area, will graduate from UWIC on July 8 at St David’s Hall, Cardiff.
As well as continuing to produce ceramics, he plans to pursue a career in teaching and has applied to study a PGCE Design and Technology course at UWIC, starting this September.
“UWIC gave me the opportunity to learn and improve my situation and it’s absolutely wonderful to be recognised with this First Minister’s Award” for my work, said Stephen.
“When you’ve come from the gutter, it’s taught me that there is such a thing as a second chance, but you have to be prepared to work for it because you only get out what you put in.”
The Minister for Culture, the Welsh Language and Sport’s Award was won by BA (Hons) Fine Art: Printmaking student Lowri Fretwell, aged 22, from Pen-y-Groes, near Caernarfon, for her series of print work based on her family history and experiences.
With strong themes of domestic life and femininity, Lowri’s work includes pieces on her grandfather going to fight in World War Two and how her grandmother had to carry on with her life while he was away. Lowri has used screen printing and mixed media including romantic wartime letters and photographs from her grandfather to her grandmother, and family memorabilia in her work.
Lowri Fretwell
“I’m honoured to have won the award and to have my work on show at the Welsh Assembly”, said Lowri.
“The final year has been difficult, but this is a great reward and I’m pleased the Minister liked my work enough to select it to be displayed in his office”, she added.
A one-off special Welsh Assembly Government award was also made this year to BA (Hons) Ceramics student Amanda Crump, aged 23, from Andover, Hampshire, for her thought-provoking ceramic work on the theme of battery hen farming.
Amanda Crump
Amanda Crump said: “The conditions in which battery hens are kept have always been a major concern of mine, so the main importance in my work is to reflect these feelings, and indeed the truth behind the food which we use so readily.
“The traditional ‘chicken and basket’ kitchen object has been the base for my ceramic work as I wanted to use this innocent everyday object to comment on the truth about where the eggs actually come from – quite often from battery farms.
“My ‘Lame Compassion’ series does just this, incorporating pieces from an actual dead battery hen and removing its beak as would be done in the battery farm. My ‘Unconscious life of a suicidal hen’ series shows the hen’s unawareness of life and how the eggs which they are unable to nest on are the reason for their life behind bars.
“And the egg boxes in ‘Spent Hen’ are stacked to the exact size of a battery cage. This gives an idea of the claustrophobia and frustration suffered in the 72 weeks an average bird spends in these conditions”, Amanda added.
Commenting on this year’s entries Alun Pugh said: “I have just returned from Venice Biennale where the works of established Welsh artists are on display to visitors from all over the world. I am pleased to have chosen these distinctive works to display in my office and the First Minister's office, where visitors from all over the world will also be able to see the work of the cream of young artists who have trained in Wales. Maybe in a few years time, we will see the work of these artists with the world's best in Venice.”
Olwen Moseley, acting head of the Cardiff School of Art and Design, said: “We are once again delighted to be associated with the Welsh Assembly Government. The relationship between Wales’ politicians and the creative industries is strong and growing stronger. The recognition of the quality of the art produced is testament to our students’ talent and commitment and our staff’s professionalism.”
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