Graduate Resident Show 2025

An exhibition by Carmarthen School of Art’s Graduate Residents.

Group Statement

This exhibition showcases the work of eleven graduate Artists in Residence at Carmarthen School of Art, each forging their own creative path.

Bringing together a diverse range of disciplines – painting, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, photography and digital media – the exhibition reflects the dynamic and evolving practices of these emerging artists. Over the course of their residency, they are exploring personal narratives, conceptual themes, and experimental techniques, pushing the boundaries of their artistic direction. Visitors are invited to engage with the work of the residents as they transition into the wider art world.

Artist Statement

This work is taken from a much larger body of work, which began just before my residency here. My paintings have experimented with ‘borrowing’ figures or motifs from art history since my degree show work, but has since been focused more on the act of ‘borrowing’ itself. The figures in my paintings are almost always taken from their original pieces and re-placed in new roles, in new narratives. I found myself telling more personal stories by using these historical figures as the actors in my own productions. In a way, I was attaching the figures to my own story, bringing whatever baggage they had accrued in their own contexts forward into mine.

The human connection I forced within my work also deals with the ideas surrounding divinity and holiness, given the (western) history of art’s inseparable ties to religion. When elevating my own experiences to those of holy status, questions like ‘what is sacred’ and ‘who decides what’s worthy’ are asked. These questions are the root of my practice.