Public Art Commissions at Theatr Clwyd: Manon Awst & Frances Priest

 


As part of the redevelopment of Theatr Clwyd, two large public art commissions have been installed by artists Manon Awst and Frances Priest, both bringing distinctive approaches to material and design that enhance the theatre’s renewed spaces.

Manon Awst – At eich coed

Manon Awst is a Welsh artist based in Caernarfon, creating sculptures and site-specific artworks with ecological narratives. Her work often explores the relationship between materials, locations, and communities.

She studied Architecture at Cambridge University and Artistic Research at the Royal College of Art, London, and worked in Berlin as part of the artist duo Awst & Walther. Awst has received significant recognition, including a Henry Moore Foundation Artist Award, and is currently a Future Wales Fellow as part of the Arts Council Wales and Natural Resources Wales Creative Nature Programme.

Her commission, At eich coed, is a large-scale glass artwork installed on the second-floor. The glass is printed with the distinctive bark pattern of plane trees; a plane tree has been preserved during the renovations and will be a key feature of the new sensory garden. The spaces between the trees are mirrored, creating dynamic reflections for visitors as they pass by and to interact with. The location for the installation was chosen by Awst in collaboration with the architects.




Frances Priest – Steller, Ceramic Tiles for the Bar & Restaurant

Frances Priest is a renowned ceramicist, trained at Edinburgh College of Art, whose works are part of collections at The National Museums of Scotland, The Fitzwilliam Museum, and The V&A. Her career spans both studio ceramics and large-scale public commissions, with recognition from events such as European Ceramic Context, the Wesley Barrell Craft Award, and the British Ceramics Biennale. She is also a Homo Faber selected maker, QEST Scholar, and Member of the Royal Society of Sculptors.

Priest’s commission for Theatr Clwyd consists of more than 1,800 cast tiles and sculpted motif tiles, arranged across an area of approximately 18 square metres. Inspired by the theatre’s 1970s tiles and acoustic brickwork tiles by Fritz Steller, they form a vibrant composition of colour and pattern behind the bar. The work was developed in collaboration with Craven Dunnill Jackfield and was selected as a direct commission. 



All photos of the artworks were taken by Dewi Tannatt Lloyd

Next Blog

In my next blog, I will look more closely at these two artworks—Manon Awst’s At eich coed and Frances Priest’s Steller tiled installation—following the first interviews with the artists and some emerging insights.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Behind the Bricks: A Visit to York Handmade Brick Company

Image
There's something grounding about standing in a place where things are made with care, by hand, from the earth itself. My recent visit to the York Handmade Brick company was just that - a rare chance to step into a world where tradition, craft and materiality are still held in high regard. I first contacted the York Handmade Brick company when I read that they had produced bricks for the renovations at Theatr Clwyd. The architects, Haworth Tompkins, worked with them for a bespoke blend of handmade bricks which were sympathetic in colour and texture to the existing brickwork of the theatre. I reached out for some more details and Mark Laksevics, York Handmade’s senior sales manager, was incredibly gracious and invited me to come and have a tour of their brickworks. Nestled in the North Yorkshire countryside, York Handmade Bricks is known for producing bespoke, characterful bricks using time-honoured methods. The tour began with an introduction to the clay itself; dug locally, rich i...
Read more

Photo Blog of Practical Work

Image
 I thought I would post photos of my making so far: These two images show the moulds that were originally made for the tile commission. I was hoping that I may be all to tidy them up ready to be moulded, to create the mould of the moulds. After cutting the moulds and sanding them, I wasn't happy with the finish so I decided I had to make new models for the moulds. I decided on a set height and depth for all the models and then I started to prepare everything to make the model. These are the cottle boards ready for the tile and plaster. As there was an undercut on the tiles, I had to backfill the tile with clay to prepare the tile for plaster. This is the tile ready to have the plaster poured on the top. I had to repeat the process for each size tile: three times in total. These are the models before they are sanded. This is the start of the moulding process. I chose to make the smallest tile mould first. I use the coin to create notches for the plaster to lock together. I was happy...
Read more

Earth Hour at Theatr Clwyd

Image
Earth Hour started in 2007, as an hour to turn non-essential lights off and reflect on environmental issues. It is held yearly and is organised by the World Wildlife Fund. It is a global event, creating a symbolic moment of support for the planet and raises awareness of the environmental issues affecting all of us.  This year it was held on 25th March at 8.30pm. Through the Environmental Committee at Theatr Clwyd, it was decided to hold an event in the temporary bar area at the theatre. Discussions included how to power the event. It was decided that various performers would perform in the space aided by electric provided by bicycles. The committee researched the options and found a company who could provide the right amount of bikes to sufficiently power the event.  Thirteen members of staff spent the hour cycling to provide the power for the speakers, microphones, lights etc. The sound of the bikes was could be heard all evening as a low whirling. The staff were guided by a ...
Read more