[{"text_idx": "#000001", "text": "My artist\u2019s residency at Strata Florida, or Ystrad Fflur as it is locally known, has enriched my lifelong fascination with its Genius Loci. Genius Loci is the impression the distinctive character or atmosphere of a place makes on the mind, body and soul. I sensed the Genius Loci of Strata Florida long before I had physically visited the remains. Having grown up in Aberarth, a small coastal village on the west coast of Wales, 20 miles from the Abbey, I have vivid childhood memories of being on the beach anticipating the unveiling of the Gordi. A Gored is the welsh term for a fishing pool or weir, and at low tide, the remains of twelve ancient Goredi reveal themselves along the coastline, connecting us to the Cistercian monks who fished there 800 years ago. They also transported Bath stone from the village\u2019s port to the Abbey along an old pilgrim route called the Lo\u0302n Lacs. These monks, therefore, would have been acquainted, as I have, with the wonder of the surrounding landscape and bewitched by the sight of the setting sun over Cardigan Bay, gifting its audience with borrowed gold. It is this cosmic connection, further fostered by my time at Strata Florida that guided the work I created in Residency. With my installations and sculptures for Strata Florida, I hope to allow the audience to better appreciate and understand the site. The work should channel the history and embedded memory of the Abbey. I hope the audience attain an elevated awareness of the physicality of the space and, in their moments of contemplation, extend a hand across the centuries to the souls who built it."}, {"text_idx": "#000002", "text": "Mae fy mhreswylfa artistig yn Strata Florida, neu Ystrad Fflur fel ei elwir yn lleol wedi cyfoethogi fy niddordeb gyda'i Genius Loci. Genius Loci yw'r argraff y mae cymeriad neu awyrgylch unigryw lle yn gwneud ar y meddwl, y corff a'r enaid. Synhwyrais y Genius Loci o Strata Florida amser maith cyn i mi ymweld a\u0302'r gweddillion yn gorfforol. Wedi tyfui fyny yn Aberarth, pentref bach ar arfordir gorllewinol Cymru, 20 milltir o'r Abaty,mae gen i atgofion byw o blentyndod wedi ei dreulio ar y traeth yn aros am ddadorchuddiad y Goredi.Gored yw'r term Cymraeg am bwll pysgota neu \u2018weir\u2019, ac adeg llanw isel, datgelir olion deuddeg gored hynafol ar hyd yr arfordir, gan ein cysylltu a\u0302'r mynachod Sistersaidd a oedd yn pysgota yno 800 mlynedd yn o\u0302l. Fe wnaethant hefyd gludo carreg Caerfaddon o borthladd y pentref i'r Abaty ar hyd hen lwybr pererindod o'r enw Lo\u0302n Lacs. Byddai'r mynachod hyn wedi bod yn gyfarwydd felly, fel ydw i, gyda rhyfeddodau'r dirwedd o amgylch a machlud yr haul dros Fae Aberteifi, ym menthyg ei haur i'w cynulleidfa. Y cysylltiad cosmig yma, a feithrinwyd ymhellach gan fy nghyfnod yn Strata Florida arweiniodd y gwaith fe greais. Trwy fy ngosodiadau a cherfluniau ar gyfer Strata Florida, rwy'n gobeithio hybu\u2019r gynulleidfa i werthfawrogi a deall y safle yn well. Dylai'r gwaith weithredu fel sianel ar gyfer hanes a cho\u0302f mewnblanedig yr Abaty. Rwy'n gobeithio y bydd y gynulleidfa yn taro ar ymwybyddiaeth uwch o ofod yr abaty ac, yn eu munudau tawel o fyfyrio, estyn llaw ar draws y canrifoedd i'r eneidiau a'u hadeiladodd."}, {"text_idx": "#000003", "text": "The time the monks spent building Strata Florida is insurmountable. Countless hours of physical labour went into constructing an abbey grand enough to bury generations of Welsh princes. Today in its dissolution it\u2019s hard to visualise the scale and beauty of its former architecture. This installation captures the abbey's demise from greatness to ruin. The gold leaf has been left untreated and exposed to the elements. Throughout the exhibition, the vibrant colour will evaporate leaving only traces of its former glory."}, {"text_idx": "#000005", "text": "Mae'r amser a dreuliodd y mynachod yn adeiladu Strata Florida yn anorchfygol. Aeth oriau di-ri o lafur corfforol i mewn i adeiladu abaty ddigon crand i gladdu cenedlaethau o dywysogion Cymru. Heddiw, yn ei hadfeilion, mae'n anodd dychmygu graddfa a harddwch ei hen bensaerni\u0308aeth. Mae'r gosodiad hwn yn cyfleu tranc yr abaty o fawredd i adfail. Mae'r ddeilen aur wedi'i gadael heb ei thrin ac yn agored i'r elfennau. Trwy gydol yr arddangosfa, bydd y lliw bywiog yn anweddu gan adael dim ond olion o'i ogoniant blaenorol."}, {"text_idx": "#000007", "text": "Water is a symbol of purity, energy and well being and is universally recognised to have sacred, healing powers. The vessels surrounding the holy well contain water from the Teifi pools, the river Glasffrwd, the river Arth and Cardigan Bay. Whilst in residency Kelly frequently bathed in these waters to immerse in their intangible connection to the past."}, {"text_idx": "#000008", "text": "\u201cWhen I enter the water I transcend into the metaphysical realm of these divine places. I allow the flow of the water to invigorate my being. \u201d"}, {"text_idx": "#000009", "text": "Mae dw\u0302r yn symbol o burdeb, egni a lles a chydnabyddir yn gyffredinol fod ganddo bwerau iachau sanctaidd,. Mae'r boteli o amgylch y ffynnon sanctaidd yn cynnwys dw\u0302r o byllau Teifi, afon Glasffrwd, afon Arth a bae Aberteifi. Tra'n preswylio roedd Kelly yn aml yn nofio yn y dyfroedd hyn i ymgolli yn eu cysylltiad anghyffyrddadwy a\u0302'r gorffennol."}, {"text_idx": "#000010", "text": "\u201cPan fyddaf yn mynd i mewn i'r dw\u0302r, rwy'n trosgynnu i deyrnas fetaffisegol y lleoedd dwyfol hyn. Rwy'n caniata\u0301u i lif y dw\u0302r fywiogi fy mod.\u201d"}, {"text_idx": "#000011", "text": "The remains of the Goredi in Aberarth are clearly recognisable as human-made structures. Their rigid forms contrast the flowing landscape allowing us to identify them on the vast shoreline. They embody a time before the Anthropocene escalated. Simple, sustainable constructions designed to complement and co-exist with their environment. These sculptures are a representation of three of the twelve goredi that were engineered in Aberarth."}, {"text_idx": "#000012", "text": "\u201cI used human-made objects to create repetitive, mathematical patterns. They bring order to the spontaneous forms of elemental materials\u201d."}, {"text_idx": "#000013", "text": "Mae'n amlwg y gellir adnabod gweddillion y Goredi yn Aberarth fel strwythurau a wnaed gan bobl. Mae eu ffurfiau anhyblyg yn cyferbynnu'r dirwedd sy'n llifo gan ganiatau inni eu hadnabod ar y draethlin helaeth. Maent yn ymgorffori amser cyn i'r Anthropocene ymafael. Lluniadau syml, cynaliadwy sydd wedi'u cynllunio i ategu a chydfodoli a\u0302'u hamgylchedd. Mae'r cerfluniau hyn yn gynrychiolaeth o dri o'r deuddeg goredi a beiriannwyd yn Aberarth."}, {"text_idx": "#000017", "text": "Roedd gweddio yn sylfaenol i fywydau'r mynachod. Fe wnaeth yr eiliadau bychain hyn blaguro cyfleoedd i ddyfnhau eu perthynas a\u0302 Duw. Yn gymdeithas heddiw, defnyddir tawelwch a myfyrdod i\u2019n tywys i ffwrdd o\u2019n bywydau hegtic tuag at rywle mwy heddychlon a ddistawl. Mae'r gwaith hwn yn wahoddiad i gymryd eiliad i ymgartrefu yng nghysegr eich amgylchoedd a meithrin ymwybyddiaeth amgen o'r safle a chi'ch hun."}, {"text_idx": "#000019", "text": "Under Lord Rhys\u2019s reign Strata Florida became a place of huge significance. He gifted the monks vast amounts of land which they used to pioneer the Welsh sheep farming industry. It was a lucrative enterprise that carved the way for an agricultural revolution. These progressive accomplishments were echoed in the facilitation of art, poetry and writing. Some of Wales's most important texts were commissioned by the prince."}, {"text_idx": "#000020", "text": "Lord Rhys\u2019s patriotic determination was under constant enmity from the English crown and eventually, Henry VIII dissolved the monastery, destroying the epicentre of Welsh culture. This depiction of a dishevelled crown emphasises the abolishment of Welsh independence and identity."}, {"text_idx": "#000021", "text": "\u201c As a Welsh person, my integrity is under perpetual threat. I strive to preserve my language, the traditions of my ancestors and most of all my autonomy\u201d"}, {"text_idx": "#000022", "text": "O dan deyrnasiad y tywysog Rhys daeth Strata Florida yn le o arwyddoca\u0302d enfawr. Rhoddodd lawer iawn o dir i'r mynachod er mwyn iddynt ei ddefnyddio i arloesi yn niwydiant ffermio defaid Cymreig. Roedd yn fenter broffidiol a gerfiodd y ffordd ar gyfer chwyldro amaethyddol. Adleisiwyd y cyflawniadau blaengar hyn yn y bydoedd celf, barddoniaeth ac ysgrifennu. Comisiynwyd rhai o destunau pwysicaf Cymru gan y tywysog.Roedd penderfyniad gwladgarol yr Arglwydd Rhys dan elyniaeth gyson coron Lloegr ac yn y pen draw, diddymodd Harri VIII y fynachlog, gan ddinistrio uwchganolbwynt diwylliant Cymru. Mae'r darlun hwn o goron ddadleoledig yn pwysleisio diddymu annibyniaeth a hunaniaeth Cymru."}, {"text_idx": "#000023", "text": "\u201cFel person Cymraeg, mae fy uniondeb dan fygythiad yn gyson. Rwy\u2019n ymdrechu i warchod fy iaith, traddodiadau fy hynafiaid ac yn bennaf fy ymreolaeth \u201d"}, {"text_idx": "#000024", "text": "Strata Florida is known as the Westminster of Wales. Eleven princes of the Welsh royal house of Dinefwr of Deheubarth are buried at the Abbey. Despite the monks' loyalty to the abbey\u2019s prestige, there are no gravestones to mark the lives of any of the monks who built and worshipped the building. This is because the monks' burials were more humble and philosophical ceremonies. They welcomed death as birth into an entirely new way of being fully and eternally alive. They believed that by acknowledging the reality of death you can reaffirm the meaning of life. This installation is a temporary memorial to the lives and legacy of the humble monks."}, {"text_idx": "#000025", "text": "\u201cWhen a Cistercian monk died they would be buried in a simple white robe made from untreated wool. The fleece marks the monk's ever-present spirit which weaves and flows ceremonially through the remains.''"}, {"text_idx": "#000026", "text": "Gelwir Strata Florida fel San Steffan Cymru. Mae un ar ddeg o dywysogion ty\u0302 brenhinol Cymru, Dinefwr o Deheubarth, wedi'u claddu yn yr Abaty. Er gwaethaf teyrngarwch y mynachod i fri\u2019r abaty, nid oes cerrig beddi i nodi bywydau unrhyw un o\u2019r mynachod a addolodd yr adeilad. Mae hyn oherwydd bod claddedigaethau'r mynachod yn seremoni\u0308au mwy gostyngedig ac athronyddol. Fe wnaethant groesawu marwolaeth fel genedigaeth i ffordd hollol newydd o fyw yn llwyr ac yn dragwyddol. Roeddent yn credu y gallwch chi, trwy gydnabod realiti marwolaeth, ailddatgan ystyr bywyd. Mae'r gosodiad hwn yn gofeb dros dro i fywydau ac etifeddiaeth y mynachod gostyngedig."}, {"text_idx": "#000027", "text": "\u201cPan fu farw mynach Sistersaidd byddent yn cael eu claddu mewn gwisg wen syml wedi'i gwneud o wla\u0302n heb ei drin. Mae'r cnu yn nodi ysbryd bythol bresennol y mynach sy'n gwehyddu ac yn llifo'n seremoni\u0308ol trwy'r gweddillion.''"}, {"text_idx": "#000028", "text": "Strata Florida encompasses the Genius Loci of Aberarth. The enduring connection between the abbey and Aberath was established when the Goredi were gifted to Strata Florida eight hundred years ago. The flag is a symbol of gratitude for that alliance. The words imprinted on the landscape remind us that the feeling of a place exists because of its unique political and cultural history."}, {"text_idx": "#000029", "text": "\u201c When we experience a landscape it\u2019s not just the romance of nature at play. The vitality of the people who have drifted through it feeds into its energy\u201d"}, {"text_idx": "#000032", "text": "Despite the Goredi\u2019s rigid human-made shapes, they can easily go unnoticed. Once you become aware of the structures they begin to emerge from the landscape and eventually their outlines are obvious. The painted stones are designed to guide your eye on a journey towards the fishing weirs. The majority of the installation will only be visible at low tide, celebrating the traditionally ephemeral nature of the Goredi."}, {"text_idx": "#000033", "text": "\u201c The tides have always been enchanting to me. Revealing and concealing the Goredi in tandem with the moon\u201d"}, {"text_idx": "#000034", "text": "Er gwaethaf siapiau anhyblyg dynol Goredi, gallant fynd yn ddisylw yn hawdd. Ar o\u0302l i chi ddod yn ymwybodol o'r strwythurau maen nhw'n dechrau dod i'r amlwg o'r dirwedd ac yn y pen draw mae eu hamlinelliadau yn amlwg. Mae'r cerrig wedi'u paentio wedi'u cynllunio i arwain eich llygad ar daith tuag at y coredau pysgota. Dim ond ar lanw isel y bydd mwyafrif y gosodiad i'w weld, gan ddathlu natur traddodiadol byrhoedlog y goredi."}, {"text_idx": "#000035", "text": "\u201cMae\u2019r llanw wedi bod yn swynol i mi erioed. Datgelu a chuddio\u2019r goredi ochr yn ochr a\u0302\u2019r lleuad \u201d"}]