Monday 29 February 2016

"We Are Ghosts" in Blackwood Miners' Institute

Afternoon everyone,

just to let you know that "We Are Ghosts" exhibition by our project's Dafydd Williams will be on display in Blackwood Miners' Institute till the end of March. The exhibition portrays early 20th century architecture in the old Gwent Valleys; all the photographs are one-off images taken with Dafydd's homemade large format camera. It was previously shown in Pontypool Indoor Market and Market Hall Cinema in Brynmawr.


The exhibition has been organised with the financial support of the Arts Council of Wales (with Welsh Government and Lottery funding) and in partnership with Torfaen Arts Development, Market Hall Cinema, Caerphilly Arts Development and Blackwood Miners' Institute.

Sunday 28 February 2016

"in passing" by Andrew Pershin in Market Hall Cinema, Brynmawr

Afternoon,

we'e happy to let you know that, in the occasion of the Market Hall's 122nd birthday, we're going to show Andrew Pershin's exhibition "in passing" (which we presented in the Hanbury Road Gallery in Bargoed in autumn), in the Cinema's foyer for another month. 



You can see the exhibition during the Cinema's opening hours, so if you're travelling from further afar, make sure you check their schedule or give them a call.

***

The exhibition was orginally organised in Bargoed thanks to funding from the Arts Council of Wales (with Welsh Government and Lottery funding), Caerphilly Arts Development and Bargoed Town Council.


Friday 26 February 2016

daydreams artist IV - Tina Kazakhishvili

Evening everyone,

tonight we'd like to tell you about the fourth and final artist participating in "daydreams", Tina Kazakhishili, whose photos we're presenting as a projection.



Working prevalently with black and white film, Tina photographs a wide range for subjects, from documentation of Georgian ethic and religious groups, through images of patients at a mental health hospital, to poetic and intimate portraits of her friends. Many of Tina's photographs are double-exposures, which let her create emotional stories captured in a single image.



Tina’s work can be found on her page and Flickr.

Thursday 25 February 2016

daydreams artist III - Kakha Kakhiani

Afternoon,

today we'd like to say a couple of words about Kakha Kakhani, whose black and white photographs we're showing as part of "daydreams". On Kakha's request, the note will be very brief! We're posting a couple more photos instead.

Kakha lives and works in Tbilisi. He uses a film camera and depicts both rural and urban scenes. As part of the exhibition, we're showing Kakha's images taken in Georgia and Belgium. Kakha has created two citybooks, one with photographs from Tbilisi and one from the Belgian town of Turnhout.




You can find Kakha's photos on his page and Facebook.

Tuesday 23 February 2016

daydreams artist II - Mano Svanidze

Mornin' everyone,


today we'd like to tell you a bit more about Mano Svanidze, whose photographs we're presenting as part of "daydreams" as a projection.

Mano has been taking photos since an early age. Photography is a very personal experience for her and the subjects of her photographs are often her family and friends, and the people she meets during her travels. She attempts to capture the world  around her and show it in a way that others may not have noticed.

As Mano says:

I'm someone who has a heartbeat in the throat when she takes photos.

In childhood I believed that I could change the world. Then I have changed myself.

Once, my friend was trying to justify social indifference with an argument that a person’s belief system alters by the changes that come with growth: in childhood everyone believes that they will change the world. Then they believe that they can change their country. Time by time they think about the changes that can be done in their families. And at last the only hope that they are left with is to change themselves. In 2009 I bought a soviet camera Zenit E, with which I discovered that I could still change something. I have the feeling that with taking pictures I go through this process once again, but from the ending.


Mano also believes that photography can help bring together people from different backgrounds and that it helps her discover things that otherwise wouldn't be available to her:

One year ago, I participated in one project called “Youth Peace Express”. The goal of this project was to alleviate the situation between the two sides that were affected by conflict. 20 young people were chosen from both sides. We went for a travel together on a bus in different countries. I took pictures. There isn't any kind of communication between Georgian and Ossetian youth. We don’t know how they live, what they worry about, what they think about, what are their problems, what they dream about... We didn’t know anything except that general information, which we get from some people or TV. and I took photos. about us.

Before I started travelling, I was working at a hostel, where people were bringing their countries, loves and fears, and they were leaving them in my photos. There I discovered that “Suliko” (a prominent Georgian song) goes very well with Malaysian folklore; that in Poland there lives a girl who loves Chopin, lomography and drinking tea on the roof like me. I found out that in Iran there lives a boy who believes that fireflies aren’t bugs. I found out that the world is not as far as I have believed previously.

This is how and why I got poisoned with photography.


You can find Mano's photographs on her page and on Behance.

Sunday 21 February 2016

daydreams artist I - Sophie Berdzenishvili

We'd like to write a note of introduction for those of you who'd like to know more about our photographers featured in "daydreams".

As usual, we like to let their work speak for itself and so we'll try to be brief.

Up first is Sophie Berdzenishvili. 

[...] photography is a therapy; it helps me get to know myself better. Everything I do is a self portrait, my photos are a reflection of my mood, emotions and the world I live in [...]

In her photography, Sophie analyses the representation of the female body, and through the minimalist, striking and often surreal setting of her images, she captures the social, cultural, political and religious entrapment of women, their identity, and their liberation. 

Her photography challenges and subverts stereotypical positioning of female models in art and reflects the universal feminist questions. 


You can see more of Sophie’s photos on her page and in her portfolio.

Wednesday 17 February 2016

"We Are Ghosts" by Dafydd Williams

Afternoon everyone,


just a quick reminder that the*kickplate*project's Dafydd is showing his exhibition "We Are Ghosts" in Brynmawr's Market Hall Cinema - still there till the 24th of February!








The exhibition will then move to Blackwood Miners' Institute in March.

Saturday 13 February 2016

"daydreams" - installation and the opening day

Afternoon,

just to let you know we opened "daydreams", a group show of four Georgian photographers: Sophie Berdzenishvili, Mano Svanidze, Kakha Kakhiani and Tina Kazakhishvili, on Wednesday and today we'd like to share some shots from the installation and the opening day.






A big thanks to our volunteer Nina for help with the installation!




 

This time, apart from displaying traditional prints on the walls, we're also projecting a selection of images by Mano Svanidze and Tina Kazakhishvili:




 
 

Follow the links below to visit the artists' pages:


The exhibition will run until the 2nd of March and we'll share some more images with you soon!

Saturday 6 February 2016

"daydreams" 10/02 - 2/03

“daydreams” is an exhibition featuring four young Georgian photographers: Sophie Berdzenishvili, Kakha Kakhiani, Tina Kazakhishvili and Mano Svanidze. They all use film photography and each of them has their own distinct style.  

Sophie Berdzenishvili creates surreal, minimalist and bold images, where she intertwines common symbols with her own allegories. The subjects she most often depicts are emotional entrapment, female self-reflection and the conflict between the roles imposed upon us by the society and our struggle against them.

Kakha Kakhiani is a photographer who renders contemporary Georgian life from a rural and urban perspective. He is the author of two photo books, one capturing life in the Georgian capital – Tbilisi, and the other in the Belgian town of Turnhout.

Tina Kazakhishivili photographs a variety of subjects, from ethic groups in different parts of Georgia, through street life and theatre artists to more intimate portraits and poetic urban scenes. She works prevalently in black and white and uses double exposures, underlining the light and atmosphere of her images.

Mano Svanidze portrays people around her, their moods and emotions. Through her photography, Mano attempts to capture the emotional portraits of her subjects, often family and friends, in everyday, but often oneiric setting. She also works with street photography.

The exhibition will run between the 10th of February and the 2nd of March 2016.

*** 

Mae "breuddwydion lliw dydd" yn arddangosfa sy'n rhoi sylw i bedwar ffotograffydd ifanc o Georgia: Sophie Berdzenishvili, Kakha Kakhiani, Tina Kazakhishvili a Mano Svanidze. Maent i gyd yn defnyddio ffotograffiaeth ffilm ac mae gan bob un ohonynt eu harddull neilltuol eu hunain.

Mae Sophie Berdzenishvili yn creu delweddau swreal, minimalaidd ac eofn, lle mae'n plethu symbolau cyffredin gyda’i halegorïau eu hunain. Y pynciau y mae'n eu darlunio amlaf yw caethiwed emosiynol, hunanfyfyrio menywod a'r gwrthdaro rhwng y rolau a orfodir arnom gan gymdeithas a'n brwydr yn eu herbyn.

Mae Kakha Kakhiani yn ffotograffydd sy'n cyfleu bywyd cyfoes Georgia o bersbectif gwledig a threfol. Mae'n awdur dau lyfr ffotograffau, un yn dangos bywyd yn Tibilsi, prifddinas Georgia ac un arall yn nhref Turnhout yng Ngwlad Belg.

Mae Tina Kazakhishivili yn tynnu lluniau amrywiaeth o bynciau, o grwpiau ethnig mewn gwahanol rannau o Georgia, drwy fywyd stryd ac artistiaid theatr i bortreadau mwy agos atoch a golygfeydd trefol. Mae'n gweithio'n bennaf mewn du a gwyn ac yn defnyddio datgeliad dwbl, gan danlinellu golau ac awyrgylch ei delweddau.

Mae Mano Svanidze yn portreadu pobl o'i hamgylch, eu hwyliau a'u hemosiynau. Drwy ei ffotograffiaeth, mae Mano'n anelu i gyfleu portreadau emosiynol ei phynciau, yn aml berthnasau a ffrindiau, mewn gosodiadau bob dydd ond breuddwydiol. Mae hefyd yn gweithio gyda ffotograffiaeth stryd.

Cynhelir yr arddangosfa rhwng 10 Chwefror a 2 Mawrth 2016.

***

„ოცნებები“ ოთხი ახალგაზრდა ქართველი ფოტოგრაფის გამოფენაა: სოფი ბერძენიშვილი,კახა კახიანი,თინა ყაზახიშვილი და მანო სვანიძე.ყველ მათგანს გააჩნია განსაკუთრებული სტილი და იყენებს ფირის ფოტოგრაფიას.

სოფი ბერძენიშვილის ფოტოები სიურეალისტური,მინიმალისტური და მკაფიოა,სადაც ის აკავშირებს გარშემო არსებულ სიმობლოებს საკუთარ ალეგორიებთან.ობიექტი რომელსაც ის გამოსახავს, არის ემოციური მახე,ქალური ანარეკლი და ბრძოლა საზოგადოების მიერ დაწესებულ როლსა და ჩვენს შორის.

კახა კახიანი არის ფოტოგრაფი რომელიც წარმოაჩენს თანამედროვე ქართულ ცხოვრებას სასოფლო და ურბანულ პერსპექტივებში.ის არის ავტორი ორი წიგნის,ერთი რომელიც ასახავს ცხოვრებას საქართველოს დადაქალაქ-თბილისში და მეორე წიგნი ბელგიურ ქალაქ ტურნჰოუტის შესახებ.

თინა ყაზახიშვილის ფოტოგრაფია მოიცავს სხვადასხვა სახის ობიექტებს,საქართველოში არსებულ სხვადასხვა ეთნიკურ ჯგუფებს,ქუჩის ფოტოგრაფიას,თეატრის მსახიობებს,ინტიმურ პორტრეტებს და ურბანულ პოეტურ გრძნობებს.ის იყენებს ძირითადად შავ-თეთრ ფოტოგრაფიას და ორმაგ ექსპოზიციას, რომელიც ხაზს უსვამს მისი გამოსახულებების ატმოსფეროს და სინათლეს.

მანო სვანიძის ფოტოგრაფია მოიცავს მის გარშემო მყოფი ადამიანების პორტრეტებს,მათ ხასიათს და ემოციას.თავისი ფოტოგრაფიით მანო ცდილობს გადმოსცეს მისი ობიექტების ემოციები,ხშირად მისი ოჯახის წევრების და მეგობრების,ხშირად იყენებს ონირიულ დეკორაციებს.მისი ფოტოგრაფია მოიცავს ასევე ქუჩის ფოტოგრაფიას.

გამოფენა გაგრძელდება 2016 წლის 10 თებერვლიდან 2 მარტამდე.
 



featuring



Tuesday to Saturday, 10:30 – 18:00
Hanbury Road Gallery, 52 Hanbury Rd, Bargoed, CF81 8QW

Dyddiau Mawrth i Ddyddiau Sadwrn, 10:30 – 18:00 
Oriel Heol Hanbury, 52 Heol Hanbury, Bargoed, CF81 8QW


 

Thursday 4 February 2016

"shadows" by Yulia Kazban - gallery walls, part III

Evening everyone,


tonight we're posting the last part of images from Yulia Kazban's show in the Hanbury Road Gallery. A big thanks to Yulia and all our visitors - both those who have visited our space in Bargoed and those who have been following "shadows" from afar.


We hope these photos will give you an idea about the exhibition - make sure you visit Yulia's page to see more of her work.





We'll be back in Bargoed next week with "daydreams", a group exhibition of young Georgian photographers, so keep your eyes peeled for updates!


Wednesday 3 February 2016

"shadows" by Yulia Kazban - gallery walls, part II

Dear all,


today we're presenting the second part of images from Yulia Kazban's solo show in the Hanbury Road Gallery

  






Some colours may vary from reality, so visit Yulia's page to see her original lith prints.

Our next exhibition, a group exhibition of young Georgian photographers, is opening next week 
- more info coming very soon!