The 'Ailfframio' Exhibition
A picture paints a thousand words… or does it? An exhibition created by our local community has taken over the Grand Hall at Penrhyn Castle.
Take a look at Henry Hawkins’ depiction of the Penrhyn Quarry. What can you see?
From the men in smart clothing at the forefront of the picture to the labourers dangling precariously in the background, the painting is full of details and inspires conversations and creativity.
This year, while restoring the original frame, we have been ‘Ailfframio’ or literally translated ‘Reframing’ the painting in a new and exciting way, asking the local community for their insights and contributions. From 6 July you will be able to see the outcome.
Creating the exhibition
We invited three community groups to create the new exhibition at Penrhyn Castle:
- Ex-quarry workers
- Members of Bethesda's social enterprise group Partneriaeth Ogwen
- Year 9 art students from Ysgol Dyffryn Ogwen
We asked them to respond to Hawkins’ Quarry Painting and participate in workshops with local artists to create the exhibition.
This July, join us as we step into the world of the painting and reflect on one of the sources that sustained the castle’s wealth in the nineteenth century.
Meet the artists
Featuring ceramics, textiles and a large collage the size of the painting itself, the exhibition is bursting with new artworks created by the local community. Meet the artists who hosted workshops that facilitated creative outputs based on the conversations the community groups have had in response to the painting.
Historical Background
Penrhyn Castle has an inextricable link to the Penrhyn Slate Quarry and its community in the quarrying town of Bethesda. The labour of these quarry men sustained the wealth found in the castle, and in the same regard the Pennant family of Penrhyn Castle’s investment transformed the scale, landscape and lifestyle found in the quarry.
Henry Hawkins’ depiction of the Penrhyn Slate Quarry is one of the most important paintings in our collections at Penrhyn Castle as it is a visible reminder of this connection.
It dates from 1832, a period of boom for the quarry, both financially and culturally. However, even though this period was decades before the Great Strike of Penrhyn Quarry or any significant industrial disputes, the working conditions were still incredibly dangerous, with injuries and death a constant threat, and the capitalist system in place meant there were extreme class disparities.
The ‘Ailfframio’ exhibition launches on 6 July and can be seen in the Grand Hall at Penrhyn Castle and Garden.
You might also be interested in
History of Penrhyn Castle and Garden
Penrhyn Castle is the former home of the Pennant family built on the proceeds of the North Wales slate industry and sugar plantations in Jamaica.
What a World! exhibition at Penrhyn Castle
Take a look back at the What a World! exhibition that took a creative look at the objects in our collections that connect the castle to its colonial past.
The Great Penrhyn Quarry Strike
Learn more about the history of the Great Penrhyn Quarry Strike, 1900-03, the longest running industrial dispute in British history. Discover why it ripped apart a community.