BACKGROUND

Ffion uses sound, metal work and protest banner motifs to create work that investigates language, place, protest, and industrialisation. They use Cymraeg to explore their own complex and uneasy relationship with Welshness. As a minority language that was banned for over 500 years, many continue to feel the loss and frustration of this legacy.

For Cymraeg Ddrwg, Ffion interviewed people at the train station in their hometown Abergavenny, as part of Casgleb, a research and development project run by Peak Cymru. Through gathering thoughts about language and identity in a place of movement, Ffion gained an understanding of the various relations to Wales and Welshness. These were then translated into artworks, using snippets of text to layer experiences and opinions, creating paintings that reflect the commotion of the train station.

Through seeing language as something that is also in motion, and to play with, Ffion tries to remove the pressure that is often felt when learning. Their method of creative translation works to build confidence and make people comfortable to try, play and create with Cymraeg.