Monnow Valley Arts

Description

Monnow Valley Arts Centre takes its name from the River Monnow which rises nearby. A wonderful modern garden has been created around the centre and is an added attraction to its exhibition programme, galleries & artist in residency,Arts & Memory – the National Contemporary collection of Memorial Art on long term loan from the memorial Arts Charity, courses and workshops.   During the season MVA will host cultural events where those interested in cultural matters can meet like minded people in convivial surroundings.
Open Thursday & Friday 11 am to 5 pm and weekend 2-5 pm

Gardens also open at these times for permanent exhibition of carved lettering and a temporary exhibition of garden ceramics. Entrance £5/£3  concessions.

28 April – 24 June 2012
Britain’s Hard 60s: John Bulmer’s Colour Photographs of a Changing Britain
Fifty years ago John Bulmer provided a front cover colour photograph for the first edition of the Sunday Times Magazine. This works for this exhibition has been selected from amongst the images John made in the 1960s when many parts of Britain were still industrial and poverty was rife. Entrance free but donations welcome

John will be at Monnow Valley Arts on Friday May 11 at 6.30 to talk about
his work and to show a short film. Entrance £6, booking essential.

28 April – 24 June 2012 in the artist’s studio
Susan Milne: Reading the Landscape
As part of her year long land and memory project exploring the Black Mountains, Susan will be holding an exhibition of her work in progress at Monnow Valley Arts. Each Wednesday, Susan will be instructing school children about the landscape or taking visitors on a guided walk on Hatterall Hill. On 16 June, Susan will hold an all day Land and Memory workshop. Guided walks on 9 May and 6 June cost £10 adults and £5 for children under 16 and the workshop costs £35. Full details from Monnow Valley Arts. Booking essential.

30 June – 26 August 2012
Ben Nicholson (1894-1966): Defining Structure and Space by Line.
Nicholson was the son of a famous painter who became one of Britain’s most important modern artists of the 20th century. This exhibition drawn from private collections in the UK, looks at the way Nicholson used the pared down, minimalist line to define in a unique way space and form. It is a rare opportunity to see rarely exhibited small paintings, drawings and etchings.   Entrance free but donations requested.

On Friday 6th July at 6.30 pm Rupert Otten will give a Monnow Valley Academy talk about the artist and show a short film about him and his first wife, Winifred Nicholson. Cost £6 booking essential.

1 September – 28 October 2012
Image and Word: The Julian Francis Collection of Prints and Private Press Books.
This private collection of books and prints will show the symbiotic relationship between the publisher of fine books and the artists who are commissioned to illustrate them. Some 50 books by more than 40 presses will be shown alongside prints by the artists who worked for these presses.  Entrance free but donations requested.

On 12 October at 6.30 pm as part of the Monnow Valley Academy series, Nicolas and Frances McDowall of the Old Stile Press will talk about how they have collaborated with artists over the last 30 years to produce beautiful books.  Cost £6, booking essential.

On Friday 14 September at 6.30 pm, Derek Shiel, the director will introduce and show the new film David Jones Between the War: The Years of Achievement.  Jones lived in Capel-y-ffin during 1924-28 as part of Eric Gill’s community there. He found his voice as a painter in the ‘hill rhythms’ of Wales and started his book about his war time activities; In Parenthesis, published in 1937.  Entrance £6, booking essential.