STRIKE PENRHYN

[robynwoolston]

National Trust Exhibition Extended!

I’m pleased to announce that my exhibition at National Trust Penrhyn Castle has been extended until December 31st 2016. 

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/penrhyn-castle/profiles/meet-penrhyn-castles-artists-robyn-woolston

The work exhibited shows the results of a 6 month Artist Residency at the castle during 2015 - 2016:

‘Penrhyn Castle is a huge, 19th-century fantasy neo-Norman house built on the site of a medieval fortified manor house. It was designed in the 1820s by Thomas Hopper for George Hay Dawkins-Pennant, the heir to the Penrhyn estate following the death of his second cousin, Richard Pennant, who in turn had made his fortune from Jamaican sugar and the nearby Penrhyn slate quarry. 

‘Strike Penrhyn’ (2016) is a mixed media installation containing 1 ton of slate, 2 trade union banners (displaying ‘first person’ narratives collected from over 100 members of the local community and painted in collaboration) and a documentary.

PROJECT BLOG: http://strikepenrhyn.tumblr.com 

A note on opening times:

Penrhyn Castle is open daily in the Summer season, 12-5pm, with the grounds and tea room open from 11am. This ends on 6 November 2016. From 7 November 2016 to 1 March 2017 only the parkland, garden and Railway Museum are open, from noon to 3pm. The Castle itself closes and undergoes annual cleaning and conservation processes, which while they are not in the public eye, are of interest to the public, and occasional behind the scenes tours are offered.

From 1 March 2017 the entire property will be open 12-5pm daily for the 2017 Summer season.

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STRIKE PENRHYN (2016)

STRIKE PENRHYN (2016) is an artistic response to Penrhyn Castle, North Wales by Robyn Woolston.

Click the link above to see a 25 min documentary response to the Great Penrhyn Strike and the lives of the quarrymen who lived through it.

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Trade Union banner details / Strike Penrhyn (2016)

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‘Strike Penrhyn’ (2016) by Robyn Woolston

Artist Statement (click link above)

“There are challenging feelings that still reside within the hearts and minds of the people of Bethesda when considering Penrhyn Castle."

Exhibition opens from 28th April - 2nd October 2016:

Penrhyn Castle 

Bangor 

LL57 4HT

T: 01248 353084

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#StrikePenrhy ...the castle is in full bloom as last minute prep continues for this weeks opening

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A complicated history...

Over the course of the last 6 months I’ve interviewed 100 local people to find out more about their feelings for the castle, the quarry and the community that continues to support the two. 

It’s been a touching, and at times emotional, process as bitter memories hold strong within the minds of some. At the same time there are signs of hope for a future built upon revelation, transparency and collaboration. 

Here are a few excerpts from my research:

‘The castle was built on the profits of the quarry whilst the workers were living in poverty and oppression.’

‘We are slowly breaking the barriers with the community, not hiding the castles heritage, but also pointing out its positives.’

‘The slate industry is such a fundamental element in the story of Penrhyn that there is a definite need to extrapolate the relationship with the community in order to signpost the properties relevance to the visitor.’

‘A horrible history.... A fantastic space, full of potential, now looked after by the National Trust for everyone to use. How can it be best used now?’

‘A reminder of the bad times in the quarry - it isn’t a place I go to. There are too many bitter memories. The NT are doing a great job but they could get the local people more involved.’

‘Bethesda, a strong and close community, hard working and the quarry was their bread and butter. Penrhyn Castle and its history was the enemy.’

‘I think the community is very, very, important to the quarry. We should be supporting them - people don’t forget - it had such an impact on the community. It’s made the women stronger!’

‘A very close community during the hard years of the strike - rifts were formed and still linger in the older generations thoughts.‘

‘I love the area but you can’t help but feel the loss of jobs & community as the mines/quarries etc have closed. Towns like Bethesda would have been quite something when the High Street was thriving and jobs were plentiful.’

‘Fascinating to hear the story told at the castle about the Penrhyn family, in comparison to that told by the people whose descendants worked in the quarry. Stark contrast of histories!’

‘It’s complicated I feel - the present and future are not the past. Yet we must never forget how the place was funded/created/formed.’

[robynwoolston]

Artists in Residence Exhibition: An artists response to Penrhyn Castle.

What happens when you combine three resident artists, a gigantic neo-Norman castle and a history steeped in local conflict? Penrhyn's Artists in residence prepare to unveil their work.

I am very proud to be exhibiting an art installation at Penrhyn Castle which runs from the 28th April to the 2nd October 2016.

“We are on a journey here at Penrhyn, a journey to re discover the stories hidden within these walls and beyond, and to explore different ways of presenting these sometimes difficult and emotionally challenging stories to our visitors.”

“It’s no secret that Penrhyn Castle can sometimes divide local opinion because of its history. The project has already opened an important dialogue between the local community and the castle; exploring our shared stories and contrasting cultures from different perspectives. This is a relationship that needs to be nurtured so that everyone’s story is told.”

“We can’t wait to see how the artists have reacted to Penrhyn Castle, its history and its legacy”

Nerys Jones, General Manager at Penrhyn Castle

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#StrikePenrhyn 100 local people were asked to describe Penrhyn Castle in 3 words....

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#PenrhynArt Trade Union banner making....ahead of my opening at Penrhyn Castle from the 28th April 2016: 

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/penrhyn-castle

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One by one, and quite arbitrarily, some were taken back. By the end of the year, Bethesda was indeed desolate.  No work, no union, no fund… The Saturday market had closed, poverty grew, and fever shut the schools. Men still trickled back, but 1,000 were never to return. The dispute had taken its toll on Bethesda and the whole slate industry. With the quarry being closed for three years, outside markets took advantage. Everybody suffered. The dispute hit Lord Penrhyn's finances and stringent economies had to be made. Lord Penrhyn and E.A. Young's health declined.  Lord Penrhyn died in 1907 and Young in 1910. Eight years later, the quarry owners accepted the Union in the quarries. Bethesda was never the same again, and suffered hardship through the Great War and into the years of the Great Depression.

Source: http://www.llechicymru.info/IPSL190003.english.htm

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#PenrhynArt ...Trade Union banner frame making

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#PenrhynArt ... Quarryman / Penrhyn Castle collection

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#PenrhynArt ‘...there will be sure to be blood shed if they persist in going in’

Life became increasingly complex during the time of the strike and your safety often depended upon which side you or your family supported. To continue to strike or to return to work...

Glanogwen Vicarage Bethesda May 14 1901

My, Lord, I beg to thank you for your letter which I received this morning. I have told many of those who applied for work to communicate with Mr Young if they are molested or threatened in any way, and if any quarryman threatened another if he went to work it would be a comparatively easy matter to proceed against, provided the witness stood to their guns.

As far as I can find out direct threats are not used but no opportunity is lost of instilling into the minds of those who are known to have applied for work the serious disturbances that are likely to take place, and what an unpleasant position their wives and children will be in, and that they hear that there will be sure to be blood shed if they persist in going in.

That is the mode of procedure to try and frighten the timid; if I hear anything that will be likely to help you in your desire to encourage and protect the men who have applied to work, (but i fear the influence is too subtle for any one to lay hold of) I will be sure to communicate with you.

I remain, My Lord, Yours faithfully, (sgd) R.T.Jones.  

SOURCE: Archives and Special Collections, Bangor University, Penrhyn Castle Papers PSQ 201

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#PenrhynArt ... 1902 Telegram: Will you sell quarry six millions / Evans British Hotel Bangor

Source: Archives and Special Collections, Bangor University, Penrhyn Castle Papers PSQ 256