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BUZZ: ARTS NEWS | SWANSEA



Exhibitions, conferences and reopenings. Happy Arty New Year. Buzz keeps you in the know with the new shows and the creative changes in Swansea.
1. Elysium Gallery Moves Home
The revered artist-led space Elysium Gallery in Swansea opened the doors to its third venue in Swansea last Friday. The gallery has moved to a new home across the road from their old Mansel Street space, next door to Dagwoods. The opening night of their new exhibition – Kelly Gorman: The Television travels on a Boat to me – was packed with well-wishers, as you can see in the photo slideshow on the gallery blog.
Kelly Gorman is an American Mixed Media Artist who is currently living and working in the United Kingdom. She received her Masters in Arts Degree in Fine Art from the University for the Creative Arts in Farnham, United Kingdom and her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Atlanta College of Art in Atlanta, Georgia USA. You can visit Gorman’s exhibition of vintage scrapbooks and quirky collages at Elysium Gallery, 31 Craddock Street, Swansea SA1 3EP until 5 Febuary. Opening hours 12-5pm Wed-Sat.
With the next 18 months of shows already booked in, I’m looking forward to seeing the rest of their programme of events.
2. Twice as MAD
Robyn (left) and Alfie outside their MAD shop
Following their recent fire-bomb attack, the MAD (Music Arts Dance Swansea) charity shop also reopened their doors last Friday with a relaunch night and exhibition. M.A.D’s aim is to further the professionalism of Musicians, Artists and performers in Swansea.
They work with and are supported by Swansea Council, The W.A.G, SCVS and Communities First. See their Facebook photo gallery for more images.
The shop has an installation space out back, while the main retail area doubles as an exhibition space for local artists. MAD also offers:
- FREE Wi-Fi
- FROTHY COFFEE FACILITIES
- LOADSA COOL STUFF TO PURCHASE
- A CHILL OUT AREA WHERE YOU CAN CHOOSE THE MUSIC
The MAD Shop, 4 Mansel Street, Swansea SA1 5SE
3. Ffilm 2
Opening at 7pm tonight (Friday 21 January), the Glynn Vivian are screeening Ffilm 2, the second of three seasons of exhibitions presenting a wide range of recent film and video in various spaces across the gallery. Their focus on film will run until April 2011 and includes well known and emerging artists from Wales and across the UK.
The rolling programme of works have been selected from commissioning organisations and collections across the UK including Film and Video Umbrella, the Arts Council Collection and the British Council Collection.
Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Alexandra Road, Swansea SA1 5DZ
4. Emergence-Eginiad @ Taliesin
“What might the future look like if artists could change the world?”
Saturday 29 January features a one-day creative, interactive conference for people working in the arts in Wales, hosted by Taliesin Arts Centre. Network, share ideas, ask questions and get tools for a more sustainable practice.
Tickets: £15 (freelancers / £25 (organisations).
5. You may have missed…
The Brunswick Presents: My favourite Swansea boozer The Brunswick has a new exhibition of work up by Bill Chambers, Printmaker; Chris Harrendence, Illustrator; and Paul O’Donovan, Painter. Go along and have a pint and a perusal. The show runs until Saturday March 12th 2011. The Brunswick, Duke Street, Swansea.
The Power of Poesie: Welsh artist, Derek Couturier has returned to painting in recent years and is fascinated anew at its potential for expression. “Abstract painting is now a major area of experimentation,” says Couturier. “Without external references I find that abstract imagery can speak of things beyond imagination, of things yet to be articulated. It has a spiritual dimension that is utterly compelling.” His exhibition runs at the Ceri Richards Gallery, Taliesin Arts Centre until Sat 12 Febuary.
FREE entrance to all the exhibitions listed above (apart from Emergence).

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