Mapping Frongoch
Creative Mapping
Creative Mapping Artists Statement Having lived close to the ruins of the Frongoch Lead Mine near Trisant, I have found the old Mine with it’s crumbling buildings, mysterious structures and acres of inhospitable waste both fascinating and repellent. The 'Maps and Makers' and 'Creative Mapping' projects have provided me with an opportunity to explore the site in greater depth. The Mine has been one of the main inspirations for my work for ten years. I knew from previous research that there was a wealth of information available at the National Library of Wales and the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historic Monuments of Wales. I studied and walked the site, photographing and sketching and trying to map it in my mind, to relate the remains on the ground to those on the underground and over ground maps, to try and understand how the giant machine of the mine functioned, how it affected not only those close by but those far away. Frongoch was a working mine for a long period of time, it has a national and international past, structures have been covered, uncovered, recovered and uncovered again. The Frongoch part of the mine has been put to a variety of uses over the century or so since it's closure, recently, there have been extensive works on the site to try and reduce it’s legacy of toxic emissions and it has become an SSSI due to the discovery of rare and unique minerals, produced by alchemical processes within the dumped material. In contrast, the Wemyss (or West Frongoch) part of the mine has remained largely untouched, apart from the ravages of time and the elements. In this my artistic response to the site my aim is to align historical and current images with my creative impressions of each area to it's actual position on the ground, moving towards creating a giant map of the site over space and time. With thanks to:- Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales Comisiwn Brenhinol Henebion Cymru The National Library of Wales Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru Roy Fellowes, Steve Rust, Colin Andrew, Peter Lloyd Harvey, Scott Lewis, Mark C, Simon Hughes. |
Mapio Creadigol Datganiad Arlunyddes Wedi byw yn agos at adfeilion Mwynfa Blwm Frongoch, gwelais ei hadeiladau adfeiliedig, ei hadeiladau rhyfeddol a'r aceri o wastraff digroeso yn ddiddorol ac yn atgas. Mae'r prosiectau 'Mapiau a Mapwyr' a 'Mapio Creadigol' wedi rhoi'r cyfle I mi archwilio'r safle mewn mwy o ddyfnder. Mae'r fwynfa wedi bod yn ysbrydoliaeth am ddeng mlynedd. Gwyddwn o waith ymchwil blaenorol fod cyfoeth o wybodaeth ar gael yn Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru a Chomisiwn Brenhinol Henebion Cymru. Astudiais a cherddais ar y safle gan dynnu lluniau, braslunio a cheisio ei fapio yn fy meddwl. Roeddwn eisiau perthnasu'r hyn a oedd yn weddill ar y ddaear. Roeddwn eisiau ceisio deall sut roedd peiriant anferth y fwynfa'n gweithio a sut effeithiodd bobl yn agos ato a'r rhai yn bell I ffwrdd. Roedd Frongoch yn fwynfa weithredol am amser hir. Mae adeiladau wedi cael eu gorchuddio, dadorchuddio, gorchuddio a'u dadorchuddio eto. Ers iddi gael eu chau mae gwaith ymestynnol wedi ei wneud i leihau ei halogrwydd gwenwynig. Daeth hefyd yn safle o ddiddordeb gwyddonol arbennig oherwyd bod mwynau unigryw wedi eu canfod o fewn y deunydd a ddadlwythwyd. Mewn gwrth gyferbyniad, mae'r fwynfa Wemyss (neu Orllewin Frongoch) wedi aros heb ei chyffwrdd heblaw am ddifrod yr amser a'r elfennau. Yn fy ymateb artistig i'r safle anelu at adrodd delweddau hanesyddol a phresennol gyda'm hargraffiadau creadigol gan arwaith at gwneud map anferth o'r safle dros yr amser. |