20 Hydref – 19 Tachwedd 2016
11 High Street, Cardiff, CF10 1AW
What does it mean to be Welsh? If you want to integrate into the Welsh community, what should you wear, and how do you need to behave to be accepted?
These are some of the questions posed by Russian artist Jana Romanova in this body of work Adopted Welsh.
Developed as part of a Ffotogallery residency in 2015 within the European Prospects international programme, Romanova crowd sourced ideas, calling out to people across Wales with the question “If I was to become Welsh, what would my future here look like?”
Travelling across Wales, she did exactly what people suggested she should do – sing in a choir, play and watch rugby, join a historical re-enactment society, become a local schoolteacher.
This first exhibition of the resulting work shows in warm, and often hilarious, terms what it means for a Russian woman to become ‘adopted Welsh’. The exhibition will be presented in a new temporary city centre venue and Ffotogallery is delighted be partnering with Cardiff Contemporary for their third citywide festival with the theme “Communication”.
David Drake, Ffotogallery’s Director, comments:
“Hailing from St Petersburg, Jana Romanova is a very exciting photographic artist and we are proud to be presenting her work during Cardiff Contemporary 2016. With a highly participatory approach, alongside her photography and video work the artist uses her own body and performance, questioning her own identity and exploring the different roles photography plays within our society”.
Beth mae bod yn Gymraes yn ei olygu? Os am ymdoddi i mewn i’r gymuned Gymreig, beth ddylch chi ei wisgo a sut ddylech chi ymddwyn er mwyn cael eich derbyn?
Dyma rai o gwestiynau’r artist Rwsiaidd Jana Romanova yn y corff hwn o waith, Adopted Welsh.
Wrth ei ddatblygu fel rhan o gyfnod artist preswyl yn Ffotogallery yn 2015 o fewn y rhaglen Argoelion Ewropeaidd, trodd Romanova at y cyhoedd am syniadau, gan alw ar bobl ledled Cymru â’r cwestiwn “Pe bawn i’n troi’n Gymraes, sut beth fyddai fy nyfodol i yma?”
Wrth deithio ledled Cymru, gwnaeth yn union fel yr awgrymai pobl y dylai wneud – canu mewn côr, chwarae a gwylio rygbi, ymuno â chymdeithas ailgreu digwyddiadau hanesyddol, mynd yn athrawes leol
Dengys yr arddangosfa hon o waith a ddeilliodd o hyn, mewn termau cynnes, a doniol yn aml, beth mae’n ei olygu i fenyw o Rwsia gael ei ‘mabwysiadu’n Gymraes’. Cyflwynir yr arddangosfa mewn canolfan newydd dros-dro yng nghanol y ddinas, ac mae Ffotogallery yn falch o ymuno â Chaerdydd Gyfoes yn eu trydeddd gŵyl ddinesig, â’r thema “Cyfathrebu”.
Meddai David Drake, Cyfarwyddwr Ffotogallery:
“Mae Jana Romanova, sy’n hanu o St Petersburg, yn artist ffotograffig cyffrous iawn, a thestun balchder i ni yw cyflwyno’i gwaith yn ystod Caerdydd Gyfoes 2016. Gyda ffordd gyfranogol dros ben o fynd ati, ochr yn ochr â’i ffotograffiaeth a’i gwaith fideo mae’n defnyddio’i chorff a’i pherfformiadau ei hun, gan gwestiynu ei hunaniaeth ei hun ac archwilio gwahanol swyddogaethau ffotograffiaeth yn ein cymdeithas”.
