Over 80 artists from different countries showcased 151 artworks at Cardiff M.A.D.E gallery, highlighting creativity, inclusivity, and community.
Over 80 international artists have put their work on display at the Winter Art & Craft Exhibition which opened last Saturday at a Cardiff gallery.
Artists from the UK, Greece, Pakistan, Japan and South America who live in Wales participated in this event at Cardiff M.A.D.E. The showcased 151 artworks come in many forms, including painting, photography, drawing, ceramics, and digital art.
“It’s been a lovely way to showcase the breadth and diversity of artists living and working in Wales, and particularly in Cardiff, which is an international city,” said the gallery founding director Zoë Gingell.
She wanted to reach out to as many different artists from diverse backgrounds as possible, so she has been promoting on Cardiff M.A.D.E’s website and social media two months ago, with the only requirement for participation being that the artists be based in Wales.
Each artist submitted five works online for selection, and Zoë chose two or three due to the gallery’s limited wall space. These works showcased according to a thread of colour. The exhibition starts with orange and blue, transitions to green, and ends with earthy and vibrant tones.
Many of the artists involved in this exhibition came to the gallery on the opening day to celebrate together. “I just wanted to bring Japanese art to the Welsh landscape,” said Fumiko Vale, a Japanese artist working in Cardiff. Her painting Dyffryn Gardens was inspired by this garden in Wales and her grandmother’s kimono belt with water lilies, which she combined.
Ella J Wilding, artist from Newport, Wales, whose painting We Three Grow Together is made from oil pastel and collage on cardboard. Her paintings have been exhibited in Cardiff M.A.D.E many times. She said: “Events like this give us a platform to be seen and appreciated in the local and broader art scene.”
This exhibition offers visitors an opportunity to experience the creativity of the region and provides a platform for both established and emerging artists to display their work. It will be open until December 23rd.
As Zoë said:“people might be able to sell their work, but it’s more about feeling that you’re parts of a thriving community of artists in Wales.” The arts bring communities together and showcase the incredible creativity, demonstrate the inclusiveness of Wales.