Oriel Ynys Môn begins its 20 year birthday celebrations with a magnificent exhibition by Wales’ most celebrated artist – Kyffin Williams – Patagonia.
The exhibition will start on February 5 until September 4, 2011. It will be officially opened Friday evening, February 4, 2011 by Elvey MacDonald.
This exhibition provides an insight into the landscape and people of Patagonia compiled by Kyffin during his Churchill Fellowship visit in 1968-1969 to record the descendents of the Welsh settlers.
It was in 1865 that a group of Welsh people from all over Wales sailed from Liverpool to Patagonia aboard the tea-clipper Mimosa. They arrived at where is now called Puerto Madryn. These settlers had only one wish – to preserve their language, culture and religion.
“The light in Cwm Hyfryd was remarkable and often in the evenings the sky became blue-black making the land appear as vivid gold in comparison.
I drew in Pentre Sydyn in the hills to the east of the valley and heard far below the sound of the voice of Mary Hopkin being relayed from the tops of the telegraph poles. It was through a gap in the hills that many years earlier a party of Welsh riders who had set out from Dyffryn Camwy to find the valley so praised by the Indians, suddenly I saw what they believed was their promised land. “Dyma gwm hyfryd” exclaimed an excited rider and Cwm Hyfryd it has remained ever since. I also found it a wonderful valley and produced about 200 drawings. I did a water-colour drawing of Brychan Evans. He was a lovely spare man, a great rider and a man who had climbed all the surrounding mountains. I think I did him justice”, said Kyffin Williams {Extract from ‘Gwladfa Kyffin – Kyffin in Patagonia’ published by The National Library of Wales}.
Works on display hail from the Oriel’s collection, private and public collections including a large selection from The National Library of Wales.
A collection of pen, ink, watercolour and oils are displayed ranging from paintings and large works on paper to small sketches from Kyffin’s autobiography ‘Wider Sky’. A collection of photographs taken by Kyffin on his own personal camera are also on display.
The exhibition will also include some of Kyffin’s personal possessions such as his travel itinerary, landing card and two Aeroineas Argentinas airline tickets.
Isle of Anglesey County Council, Economic Development, Tourism and Leisure Portfolio Holder, Cllr Bob Parry OBE, said “We are extremely grateful to everyone and especially The National Library of Wales who have all helped us create this stunning exhibition which is a record of a time which Kyffin stated was the most exciting and memorable time of his life”.
“This exhibition allows us to see the remarkable collection of Kyffin’s work on Patagonia – works that portray a small corner of Welshness in a land that is alien to many of us. Through Kyffin’s eyes and hands we too can get to know the Welsh of South America”, said Pat West, Principal Officer – Museums, Culture and Archives, Isle of Anglesey County Council.
To coincide with the exhibition various events will take place at Oriel Ynys Môn:
February 18, 2011 – 7pm
Patagonia: Kyffin’s Great Adventure: A talk by David Meredith, author ‘Kyffin in Venice’ and ‘Kyffin Williams, His Life, His Land’.
March 25, 2011 – 7pm
‘A Place of Meadows and Tall Trees’
A talk by the author Clare Dudman about the research work into her novel which is based on the early years of the Welsh settlement in Patagonia.
July 1, 2011 – 7pm
Kyffin the Photographer
A talk and slide show on Kyffin’s visit to Patagonia by William Troughton, The National Library of Wales.
For further information regarding these events and to book tickets, please contact Oriel Ynys Môn, Llangefni
