Women’s Arts Association Wales (WAAW) Celebrate International Women’s Day 2024 and the Organisations Fortieth Anniversary 1984 – 1987
Women’s Arts Association Wales (WAAW) is holding an exhibition to celebrate International Women’s Day 2024 and their fortieth anniversary at Art Central Gallery, Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan.
To mark these, an event is planned for Saturday 9 March 1:30pm -3:30pm, all are welcome. We are also thrilled to announce that Dr Adéọlá Dewis will be delivering the annual Women’s Arts Association Di Setch Artist Talk, for the anniversary celebrations, at 11:30am on Saturday 16 March, at Art Central Gallery.
Celebrated annually on the 8 March, the WAAW organisation has been marking International Women’s Day for almost all forty years. The exhibition at Art Central is always popular with artists and visitors. This year’s show has over eighty art works by women artists, living and working in Wales. The artworks on show are in a variety of mediums, ranging from textiles, sculptures, paintings, collage and more. The event aims to recognise women’s achievements, raise awareness, visibility, and promote equality, for women, all over the world.
Cllr Rhiannon Birch Cabinet Member for Education, Arts and the Welsh language said “We are always keen to work with the Women’s Arts Association Wales. They have an excellent track record in celebrating and promoting women artists at all stages of their careers. The exhibition is so exciting, with such a wide range of work to see, there’s something for everyone”.
The Women’s Arts Association Wales, Co-Chair’s Emma Jane Lawton and Shaz Magill, on behalf of all the artists, feel it is a privilege to show the artworks in celebration of International Women's Day and our milestone anniversary, at this fabulous and highly regarded gallery. We are delighted to be able to exhibit at Art Central Gallery as the venue offers such a fantastic opportunity to show so many individual artists and such a broad range of work. The exhibition promotes, collaborative, creative, connections, networking, communication, equality, and more. It enables women of all backgrounds to participate in and be part of marking this world-wide event.
The Di Setch Artist Talk is dedicated to the artist as a Founder Member is held annually by the Women’s Arts Association Wales. The talks dedicated in her name mark the commitment and years given by the artist to the organisation. In this anniversary year, Dr Adéọlá Dewis, will be delivering the talk, about her art practices. Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, Adéọlá explores expressions of identity and belonging through the visual and performance aesthetics of Carnival/Mas, masquerade, and folk rituals.
Adéọlá studied Visual and Fine Arts at undergrad and MA level and completed PhD research in Critical and Cultural Theory. Her ongoing research is interested in carnivals, masquerades and rituals and the ways in which diaspora people perform fragments – expressions of identity and belonging through memory, re-imagination, creolisation and the making of sacred spaces. Her practice involves drawing, painting, performance art, spoken word and writing often looking at modes of transformation and ways of re-presenting self, utilizing carnival performance aesthetics.
Adéọlá’s life and experiences as a mother and migrant have informed aspects of her practice and continues to contribute to the ways in which her work takes shape. She is Founder of Laku Neg (Black Yard) - an artist-run company that promotes the exchange of African diaspora and indigenous knowledge through conversations, articles and events that engage philosophy, heritage, arts and living culture.
The exhibition also has an area dedicated to the artist and sculptor Gwyneth Price. Gwyneth was a Member of WAAW and exhibited with the organisation many times. She was a prolific artist. She loved carving natural forms from stone and wood and creating mixed media art, drawn works and much more. Gwyneth was originally from South Africa but moved to Wales and the Vale of Glamorgan with her family much later in life. Sadly, Gwyneth left us at the end of last year. Her husband Graham has kindly allowed us to show a small collection of her work for this year’s International Women’s Day 2024, in memory of a kind and gentle friend and wonderfully creative artist.
We hope you can join the Women’s Arts Association Wales us for these free events at Art Central Gallery. For information visit www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/artcentral or News & Events | Women's Arts Association Wales (womensarts.co.uk)