An exhibition showcasing Josef Herman’s rapidly executed, expressionist sketches of miners, land workers and fisher folk is to open to the public at Gwynedd Museum & Art Gallery, Bangor on Saturday 28 July.
‘Llafur – Imaging the Labourer’ is an insightful exhibition celebrating the labourers that Josef Herman encountered during his travels around the world, this includes the collier – who he held in deep regard.
Joseph Herman, of Polish origin, came to Ystradgynlais in 1944 where he found the miners here inspirational. His Welsh images stand as symbols for working people everywhere and the miners and their community continued to influence his work for the rest of his life.
This dynamic exhibition, made possible largely due to the generosity of the artist’s widow Nini Herman, provides us with glimpses of the daily struggle that the ordinary man and woman stoically confronted in the last century. It also acts as testament to the achievements of those people (and of the industrious Herman himself) which were possible, even when labouring against considerable odds.
Accompanying the exhibition will be a glimpse into the life of fishermen, land workers and quarrymen in Gwynedd as portrayed in the paintings of artist William Selwyn, Mihangel Jones and the late Ifor Pritchard along with photographs from Gwynedd Archives Service.
‘Llafur’ will be on show at Gwynedd Museum & Art Gallery until 29 September. A programme of events will also be held.
For more information please contact the museum:
Oriel ac Amgueddfa Gwynedd, Bangor
Ffordd Gwynedd, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 1DT
Ffôn / Tel : 01248 353 368
www.gwynedd.gov.uk/celf
This exhibition consists of works from the Josef Herman Art Foundation’s collection, created by Dr Ceri Thomas and assisted by exhibition officer Erin Rickard.
For more information about the Josef Herman Foundation exhibition please contact Exhibition Officer Erin Rickard at [email protected]
